Israeli strike hits UN-run school in Gaza, resulting in 14 fatalities, says hospital

Palestinian authorities on Wednesday reported at least 14 people were killed in an attack on a United Nations facility in central Gaza.

Hospital staff said 14 people were killed in the incident in the Nuseirat refugee camp.

The building was a former school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Six UNRWA staff were among the dead, the agency said on social media platform X. “This is the highest death toll among our staff in a single incident.”

Among those killed was the manager of the UNRWA shelter and other team members providing assistance to displaced people, the agency wrote.

“This school has been hit five times since the war began. It is home to around 12,000 displaced people, mainly women and children. No one is safe in Gaza. No one is spared.”

Schools and other civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times, UNRWA wrote.

“They are not a target. We call on all parties to the conflict to never use schools or the areas around them for military or fighting purposes.”

UN General Secretary António Guterres wrote on X that what was happening in Gaza was “totally” unacceptable. “These dramatic violations of international humanitarian law need to stop now.”

A spokesman for the Israeli air force said the hit in Nuseirat targeted a command and control post of Palestinian militant organization Hamas, adding it was carried out after measures to minimize the risk of harming civilians were taken.

Two Israeli soldiers killed in helicopter crash

Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military said two soldiers were killed when a rescue helicopter crashed in the Gaza Strip overnight.

It said seven others were injured and transported to a clinic for treatment.

The Yanshuf helicopter belonging to the Israeli air force was on a mission to evacuate an injured soldier to a hospital for medical treatment. It crashed while landing in the Rafah area in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

An initial inquiry indicated that the crash was not caused by enemy fire, the IDF said, noting the cause of the incident was still under investigation.

The families of the two IDF soldiers have been notified.

Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, 706 Israeli soldiers have been killed, according to military sources. Some 340 have been killed since the start of the ground offensive on October 27, with more than 4,400 soldiers injured.

The war began after the unprecedented October 7 massacre, which saw militants from Hamas and other extremist Palestinian organizations invade southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking some 250 others as hostages into Gaza.

More than 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza and more than 98,000 others injured since the start of the war according to the Hamas-controlled health authority in Gaza. The figures do not distinguish between civilians and fighters.

Conclusion

The ongoing conflict in Gaza continues to take a devastating toll on civilians, with schools and UN facilities becoming targets of violence. The international community must work towards a peaceful resolution to prevent further loss of life and suffering. Both sides need to prioritize the protection of civilians and abide by international humanitarian law to end this cycle of violence. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the conflict, and we urge for a swift and just resolution to bring peace to the region.