On September 11, 2024, Israeli airstrikes targeted a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) school in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, resulting in at least 18 deaths, including six UNRWA employees. The school, which had been converted into a shelter, was housing approximately 12,000 displaced Palestinians, mostly women and children.This incident marks the deadliest single attack on UN staff in the ongoing 11-month war. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated, ‘Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, at least 220 of our staff members have been killed’. The attack has drawn sharp criticism from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who called the lack of accountability for killing UN staff and humanitarian workers in Gaza ‘totally unacceptable’.The Israeli military claimed that its air force ‘carried out a precise strike on terrorists’ operating within the school complex, asserting that it was being used by Hamas as a command center for planning and executing attacks. However, UNRWA and Palestinian officials vehemently deny these claims and condemn the attack on civilian infrastructure.This is reportedly the fifth time the school has been targeted since October 7, 2023, when the current phase of the conflict began. The ongoing war has resulted in the deaths of at least 41,084 Palestinians and wounded another 95,029, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.The incident has reignited international concern over the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers in the conflict. UNRWA emphasized, ‘No one is safe in Gaza. No one can escape. Schools and other civilian infrastructure must always be protected, not targeted’. The attack comes amid growing tensions between Israel and UNRWA, with the Israeli parliament recently approving a bill to classify UNRWA as a terrorist organization.
Key points
- Israeli airstrike on UNRWA school in Gaza kills at least 18, including six UN employees.
- The school was sheltering approximately 12,000 displaced Palestinians, mostly women and children.
- Israeli military claims the school was being used as a Hamas command center, which UNRWA and Palestinian officials deny.
- This is the fifth time the school has been targeted since October 7, 2023.
- The incident has sparked international outrage and calls for greater protection of civilians and humanitarian workers.
Contradictions👾There are conflicting reports on the exact number of casualties, with some sources reporting 14 deaths, while others report 18 or more.
👾The Israeli military claims the school was being used as a Hamas command center, while UNRWA and Palestinian officials deny this assertion.
