Israeli Strikes on Gaza School Shelter Kill 46, Including 31 in Deadly Blaze, as Aid Crisis Deepens

Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Monday claimed at least 46 lives, with 31 fatalities reported in a devastating strike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City’s Daraj neighborhood, according to local health officials.

The attack, which occurred as displaced families slept, ignited tents and belongings, leaving rescuers to recover charred remains.

The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted a militant command center operated by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, while a separate strike on a home killed 15 members of a single family.

As Israel’s renewed offensive intensifies, a controversial new aid distribution system faces setbacks, exacerbating Gaza’s humanitarian crisis amid warnings of famine and international condemnation.

Deadly Strikes Target School Shelter and Residential Areas

The overnight strike on the Fahmi al-Jarjawi school in Gaza City killed 31 people, including a father and his five children, and injured over 55, said Fahmy Awad, head of the Gaza Health Ministry’s emergency service.

Witnesses reported three successive strikes that set the shelter ablaze, with footage showing rescuers battling fires and retrieving fragmented remains.

The Israeli military stated the attack targeted a Hamas and Islamic Jihad command center used for intelligence gathering, asserting that militants operate in civilian areas, a claim Hamas denies.

A separate strike in northern Gaza killed 15 members of one family, including five women and two children, according to Shifa Hospital. Real-time updates indicate that since dawn, Israeli strikes have killed at least 50 people across Gaza, with hospitals overwhelmed and casualty counts potentially higher due to limited access.

Did You Know?
Since the war began in October 2023, over 400 schools in Gaza have been directly hit by Israeli strikes, with many serving as shelters for displaced families, according to UN satellite imagery analysis.

Humanitarian Crisis Worsens Amid Blockade and Aid Delays

Israel’s offensive, relaunched after a ceasefire collapse in March, has intensified Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. A two-and-a-half-month blockade halted all food, medicine, and fuel deliveries until limited aid resumed last week.

The United Nations reports that half a million Gazans face starvation, with aid groups warning that current supplies (approximately 90 trucks since Monday) are insufficient to meet needs.

A new Israel- and U.S.-backed aid system, led by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, was set to begin Monday but faces challenges after the resignation of its American leader, Jake Wood, who cited a lack of operational independence.

U.N. agencies and aid groups have rejected the system, arguing it violates humanitarian principles and risks further displacement. Posts on social media highlight growing desperation, with reports of families surviving on one meal a day or less.

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International Outcry and Ceasefire Efforts Falter

Israel’s plan to seize full control of Gaza and encourage “voluntary migration” has drawn sharp criticism from the international community, with the U.N. and European nations condemning the blockade and military escalation.

The U.K., France, and Germany have called for unimpeded aid access, labeling the situation “intolerable.” The mediation of Qatar and Egypt has stalled the ceasefire talks, as Hamas demands an end to the war and Israel insists on dismantling the group's capabilities.

The conflict, sparked by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 people and abducted 251, has now claimed over 54,000 Palestinian lives, with women and children comprising more than half, per Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel claims to have killed 20,000 militants; however, the evidence supporting this claim remains limited.