Israel airstrike on Gaza school kills 40, including women, children amid ceasefire talks

In an airstrike on Thursday, Israeli forces targeted a U.N. school in Gaza, claiming it housed up to 30 Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters. The strike resulted in 40 deaths, including women and children, according to a Hamas official.

Video footage from the aftermath revealed Palestinians carrying away bodies and tending to the injured at a hospital. Among the survivors was a young boy, Imad al-Maqadmeh, who lost his father in the attack and questioned why the school, sheltering displaced families, was bombed.

Israel’s military defended the strike as precise, with satellite images purportedly showing fighters based within the school compound. However, Hamas and local witnesses denied the presence of militants, accusing Israel of fabricating stories to justify the attack. The U.N. condemned the bombing, with UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini stating the school sheltered 6,000 displaced people.

The attack occurred during sensitive ceasefire negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S. Hamas rejected the latest Israeli proposal, insisting on a complete end to the war and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Further Israeli airstrikes killed the mayor of Al-Nuseirat camp and other Palestinians in separate incidents. The U.N. and international officials reiterated calls for protecting civilians amid escalating violence.

The conflict has resulted in over 36,000 deaths in Gaza according to local health officials, with ongoing hostilities despite international mediation efforts.