UN Rights Office Denounces IDF Attacks On School In Gaza, Cites Civilian Harm

The UN Human Rights Office condemned the increasing frequency of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) strikes on schools in Gaza, where many displaced Palestinians have sought refuge. The latest attack killed dozens at a school in Gaza City.

At dawn on Saturday, a mosque within Al Tabaeen School was hit by the IDF "at least three times," according to the UN rights office, OHCHR, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The strikes occurred around 4:30 (GMT+3) during dawn prayer. OHCHR stated that these attacks showed "apparent disregard for the high rate of civilian fatalities."

An initial report indicated that at least 93 Palestinians were killed in the strikes, including 11 children and six women. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), reiterated on social media that schools and other civilian infrastructure should not be targets.

Since 7th October, more than 90 percent of Gaza's population of 2.3 million has been displaced multiple times. This displacement followed Hamas-led attacks on Israel that resulted in 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages taken, with over 100 still held in Gaza as negotiations continue.

Between 7th October and 8th August, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported that at least 39,699 Palestinians were killed and 91,722 injured in the ongoing conflict. Lazzarini stressed that parties to the conflict must avoid using schools and other civilian facilities for military purposes and must protect civilians at all times.

Call for an End to Violence

Lazzarini described another day of horror in Gaza with another school hit and reports of dozens of Palestinian casualties among them women, children, and older people. He emphasized that it is time for these horrors to end and warned against letting such violence become normalized.

"We cannot let the unbearable become a new norm," he said. "The more recurrent, the more we lose our collective humanity."

With inputs from WAM