The United Nations has condemned an Israeli air strike that killed six of its staff members at a school run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in central Gaza. The strike on al-Jaouni school in Nuseirat refugee camp also resulted in the deaths of 18 people, including civilians who had sought refuge there amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
UNRWA reported that this was the highest death toll among its staff in a single incident since the war began in October. The agency stressed that its facilities, which are used as shelters by thousands of displaced Palestinians, should never be targeted or used by any groups for military purposes.
Israel’s military defended the strike, stating that it was a precise operation targeting terrorists allegedly planning attacks from inside the school. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) emphasized that measures were taken to minimize civilian casualties, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance. They accused Hamas of embedding military operations within civilian infrastructure, a claim Hamas denies.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric condemned all strikes that target civilians and UN facilities, calling for the protection of schools and other civilian infrastructure at all times. The agency reiterated its appeal for all parties in the conflict to refrain from using schools for military purposes.
The incident marks the fifth time al-Jaouni school has been hit over the past 11 months. In July, another strike on the same school reportedly killed 16 people, with the IDF stating that the target was Hamas fighters using the premises for military activities. Despite these allegations, Hamas has consistently denied using schools or other civilian sites for military operations.
The air strike occurred against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing military campaign to dismantle Hamas following the group’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, which left approximately 1,200 people dead and 251 others taken hostage to Gaza. Since the conflict erupted, more than 41,080 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Footage from the aftermath of the strike showed extensive damage to the ground floor of one wing of the school and a destroyed adjoining structure. Ambulances rushed to the scene, transporting wounded men, women, and children to al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah. Among the victims identified was Shadia Salmi, the daughter of a rescue worker who had been separated from her family for 10 months due to the conflict.
UNRWA disclosed that two air strikes had hit the school and its surroundings, which were sheltering around 12,000 displaced people, primarily women and children. Among those killed were the shelter manager and other staff members providing assistance.
In response to the incident, Gaza’s Hamas-run government media office accused Israel of committing a “brutal massacre.” Israel, however, maintained that its actions were in compliance with international law and aimed solely at Hamas operatives abusing civilian infrastructure.
UNRWA reported that nearly 70% of its schools in Gaza have been struck since the start of the war. The agency also noted that 214 of its staff members and at least 563 displaced individuals sheltering in its facilities have been killed.
Israel has previously accused UNRWA of supporting Hamas, but a UN review found no evidence to substantiate claims that hundreds of UNRWA staff were affiliated with terrorist groups. Despite these accusations, UNRWA insists on the impartiality of its operations, focusing solely on humanitarian assistance in one of the world’s most challenging conflict zones.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident on Wednesday, two Israeli soldiers were killed, and eight others were injured in a helicopter crash in southern Gaza. The crash occurred during a medical evacuation mission and was not attributed to enemy fire, according to an initial inquiry by the IDF. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
