UN Condemns Targeting of Civilian Shelters Amid Ongoing Conflict
Gaza City, July 9, 2024 – In a tragic turn of events, a second Israeli airstrike in two days has hit a school in Gaza City, which was sheltering displaced families, resulting in the death of at least four people. Among the deceased is Ihab al-Ghusain, the deputy labour minister of Hamas, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency. The school, the Holy Family School, is owned by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and has been a refuge for hundreds of civilians since the onset of the current conflict.
The Israeli military confirmed that it targeted “the area of the school,” alleging that the school complex was being used by militants as a hideout and contained a Hamas weapons manufacturing facility. This strike comes a day after another Israeli attack on a UN-run school in Gaza, which resulted in 16 fatalities and 75 injuries.
International Condemnation
The United Nations has strongly condemned these attacks on its shelters. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), expressed his outrage on social media, stating, “Another day. Another month. Another school hit.” UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma highlighted the unprecedented damage to UN-protected facilities, with over 450 incidents involving UNRWA buildings during the conflict.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem issued a statement condemning the targeting of civilians and any actions that fail to protect non-combatants. “The Latin Patriarchate condemns in the strongest terms the targeting of civilians or any belligerent actions that fall short of ensuring that civilians remain outside the combat scene,” the statement read.
Escalating Violence and Casualties
The violence has intensified following the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, predominantly civilians, and the kidnapping of 251 individuals. In response, Israel’s military offensive has led to the deaths of at least 38,153 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry.
Humanitarian Crisis
As the conflict rages on, tens of thousands of Gaza residents have sought refuge in UN-run schools across the territory. The repeated targeting of these shelters has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis. UNRWA reports that more than half of its 190 facilities have been hit, some multiple times, and 196 UNRWA workers have lost their lives, including two on Saturday.
A Call for Protection
The international community continues to call for the protection of civilians and adherence to international humanitarian law. UNRWA’s Juliette Touma emphasized the blatant disregard for international law in the conflict, stating, “Any hits on U.N. facilities are shocking and there has been a blatant disregard for international humanitarian law in regard to this conflict.”
As the violence continues with no end in sight, the plight of civilians in Gaza remains dire, with urgent calls for a ceasefire and the protection of innocent lives.