Israeli airstrikes early on Sunday morning targeted a mosque and a school housing displaced Palestinians in central Gaza, killing 26 people and injuring dozens more, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The strikes hit Ibn Rushd school and Al-Aqsa Martyrs mosque in Deir al-Balah, both located within the humanitarian zone in southern Gaza. The Israeli military stated the sites were being used by Hamas militants as “command and control” centres.
Footage verified by the BBC showed scenes of devastation, with bodies and blood among the rubble of the mosque, and the school engulfed in flames. Rescue workers could be seen pulling victims from the wreckage. The civil defense agency in Gaza confirmed 21 deaths at the mosque, with many others wounded.
These strikes come nearly a year after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants on Israel, which left around 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage. Since then, 41,870 Palestinians have been killed, and over 97,000 injured, according to the Gaza health ministry. These figures, which the United Nations considers reliable, do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it took measures to minimize civilian casualties, employing precision weapons and gathering intelligence before the strikes. However, Hamas accused Israel of targeting civilian homes and infrastructure. The IDF countered by accusing Hamas of using civilian sites as shields for military purposes, a claim that Hamas denies.
In other developments, the IDF has surrounded the northern Gaza city of Jabalia as part of an ongoing military operation, striking what it described as “dozens of military targets” in an effort to stop Hamas from regrouping in the area. While warning civilians to avoid the region, Israel also announced the expansion of the humanitarian zone in southern Gaza, re-opening evacuation routes to allow civilians safe passage.
The situation in Gaza remains tense, with international journalists barred from independent access to the region, making independent verification of the situation on the ground difficult.
