Israeli Airstrike on Gaza City School Shelter Kills 13, Traps Six; 39 Dead in 24-Hour Escalation

An Israeli airstrike on the Yafa School in Gaza City's Tuffah neighborhood, converted into a shelter, killed at least 13 people and trapped six under rubble. The attack is part of a broader escalation that killed 39 and injured 105 in Gaza over 24 hours. Rescue efforts are hindered by dangerous conditions and lack of equipment. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas urged Hamas to release Israeli captives. The conflict, ongoing since October 7, 2023, has resulted in over 51,300 Palestinian deaths, with ceasefire talks stalled amid a humanitarian crisis due to an Israeli blockade.

Shelter Strike Sparks Fire, Traps Civilians

The strike targeted the Yafa School in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City, which had been converted into a shelter for displaced civilians. The attack ignited a fire that engulfed the tent structures surrounding the school, burning several people alive. Gaza’s Civil Defense reported that 13 bodies were recovered from the site, while at least six individuals remain trapped under the rubble. Emergency workers have been unable to reach them due to the area being designated a “no-go” zone by Israeli forces and the lack of heavy machinery needed for rescue operations.

Video footage shared on social media showed charred remains of tents and melted canvas, with personal belongings scattered among the debris. Witnesses described scenes of horror as flames consumed the makeshift shelters in the middle of the night.

Widespread Casualties Across Gaza

The attack on the school was one of several Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, a total of 39 people were killed and 105 injured during this period. Among the dead were twin five-year-old girls killed in a separate strike east of Gaza City, and four more bodies were recovered from two homes near the school.

In northern Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp, a child was among two people killed in an Israeli attack on tent shelters. Another person was killed and several injured in a drone strike on the al-Mawasi “safe zone” near Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

The Civil Defense has issued an urgent appeal to the International Committee of the Red Cross for assistance in recovering those trapped under rubble, citing both the danger of the area and the lack of necessary equipment.

Abbas Urges Hamas to Release Captives

As the humanitarian toll mounts, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has called on Hamas to release the remaining Israeli captives held in Gaza. The call comes amid renewed efforts by Arab mediators to broker a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas, which governs Gaza and is a rival to Abbas’s Fatah-led Palestinian Authority, has stated it is willing to release all captives in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal and a permanent end to the war. However, the group has rejected Israel’s demand for disarmament, calling it a “red line.”

According to Israeli and Palestinian sources, 59 hostages remain in Gaza, 24 of whom are believed to be alive. Most of the others were released during previous ceasefire agreements or have since died.

Ceasefire Talks and Humanitarian Crisis

The latest escalation comes amid a month-long deadlock in ceasefire negotiations. Despite the impasse, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani confirmed that Doha remains engaged in talks to end the war. A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss a new truce proposal that includes a five-to-seven-year ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to enforce a blockade on Gaza, now in its eighth consecutive week, preventing the entry of food, medicine, and other humanitarian aid. The blockade has drawn sharp criticism from international actors. In a joint statement, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom condemned the blockade as “intolerable,” asserting that humanitarian aid must not be used as a political tool and that Israel is obligated under international law to allow its passage.

Rising Death Toll and Ongoing Conflict

Since the resumption of Israel’s military offensive on March 18, at least 1,928 Palestinians have been killed, pushing the total death toll in Gaza above 51,300, according to the Health Ministry. The Israeli military maintains that it targets only militants and blames civilian casualties on Hamas’s use of densely populated areas for military operations.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a cross-border attack into southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and abducting 251. In response, Israel launched a large-scale military campaign in Gaza, which has continued with intermittent ceasefires and escalations.

References

• Israeli strike in Gaza kills 23 as Arab mediators seek long-term truce
• Updates: At least 39 killed by Israel in Gaza over last 24 hours
• Child among at least 10 killed in Israeli attack on school shelter in Gaza
• Six trapped under rubble after Israeli attack on Gaza City shelter kills 13
• Gaza health ministry denies manipulating death toll figures