Dozens Killed in Israeli Airstrike on Gaza Shelter

An Israeli airstrike near a school building in southern Gaza, which was serving as a shelter for displaced Palestinians, killed at least 25 people and injured more than 50 yesterday, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. Many of the injured are in critical condition, and the death toll is expected to rise.

The Israeli military stated that the strike targeted a Hamas member involved in the October 7 attacks and that they are “looking into reports that civilians were harmed.” The U.N. reports that over 80 percent of Gaza’s schools have been severely damaged or destroyed in the conflict, including all 12 universities.

In related news, an Israeli drone strike in Syria prompted Hezbollah to retaliate with rocket fire into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, resulting in two deaths. Additionally, U.N. and Israeli officials have reported that aid convoys in Gaza are being attacked by groups seeking to smuggle and sell cigarettes. An Israeli general has also criticized the government’s policies in the occupied West Bank, condemning the rise of “nationalist crime” by Jewish settlers.