UN Agency Reports 14 Dead, Including Aid Workers, in Gaza School Strike
Israeli airstrikes on a Gaza school killed 14, including 6 UN aid workers. IDF claims targeting Hamas operatives. Incident highlights ongoing civilian casualties in the conflict.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine in the Near East (UNRWA) reported that Israeli airstrikes on a school in central Gaza resulted in 14 fatalities, including six aid workers. This incident, occurring on September 11, 2024, marks the highest single-incident death toll among UNRWA staff since the conflict began.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated they targeted Hamas operatives at a command center within the al-Jaouni Preparatory Boys School in Nuseirat. The IDF claimed to have taken precautions to minimize civilian casualties, but medical sources reported women and children among the victims.
The school, like many in Gaza, was housing displaced Palestinians. UNRWA, established in 1949 to assist Palestinian refugees, reported that at least 12,000 people were sheltering at al-Jaouni school. The Gaza Strip, one of the world's most densely populated areas with over 2 million people in 365 square kilometers, has seen its schools become makeshift shelters for those fleeing the conflict.
UNRWA Director Philippe Lazzarini condemned the attack, stating that humanitarian staff and operations have been disregarded throughout the war. The agency reported that the school had been struck five times, emphasizing that schools and civilian infrastructure should be protected under international law.
"Schools and other civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times, they are not a target."
The incident is part of a broader pattern of destruction in Gaza. A survey conducted in July 2024 by the Education Cluster, led by UNICEF and Save the Children, found that over 90% of Gaza's school buildings have been severely or partially damaged in strikes.
The IDF maintains that Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, operates from civilian structures, a claim that Hamas denies. This ongoing conflict has raised concerns about potential violations of international law, with the International Criminal Court investigating alleged war crimes in Palestinian territories since 2021.
As of September 12, 2024, the Gaza Health Ministry reports at least 41,084 Palestinian fatalities and 95,029 injuries since the conflict's onset on October 7, 2023. These figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the territory under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade since 2007. The conflict has exacerbated already challenging living conditions, with Gaza's unemployment rate being one of the world's highest, exceeding 40% in recent years.
As international calls for a ceasefire continue, the United Nations Security Council has passed numerous resolutions urging an end to hostilities. However, a lasting solution remains elusive, with the Oslo Accords of 1993 and 1995, intended to lead to a two-state solution, yet to be fully implemented.
