Israeli Airstrike on Gaza School Kills 27

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 100 Palestinians across Gaza on Thursday, including 27 individuals who were sheltering in a school, according to Palestinian health officials. The intensified offensive, which Israel’s military claims targets Hamas, continues as part of broader efforts to expel the militant group.

School Bombing Casualties
Health Ministry spokesman Zaher al-Wahidi reported that 14 children and five women were among the 27 killed when an Israeli airstrike hit a school in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighborhood. The death toll is expected to rise, as many of the 70 injured remain in critical condition. In the nearby Shijaiyah area, over 30 residents were also reported killed in airstrikes targeting homes, according to Ahli Hospital records.

The Israeli military stated it had targeted a “Hamas command and control center” in Gaza City and asserted it had taken precautions to minimize civilian casualties. This justification, however, is being questioned after similar claims were made following a previous strike on a United Nations shelter, which killed at least 17 people.

Hamas condemned the attack on the school as a "heinous massacre" of civilians. As the violence escalates, Israel’s military has ordered further evacuations from northern Gaza, directing residents to flee to the south or west. Many families have been forced to travel on foot, carrying their belongings or using makeshift transport like donkey carts.

Displacement and Blockades

"My wife and I have been walking for three hours and covered only a kilometre," said Mohammad Ermana, 72, who was attempting to find shelter with his wife. "Now, I’m searching for a new shelter every hour, not every day."

As Israel anticipates launching a ground operation, around 280,000 Palestinians have already been displaced since the end of a ceasefire last month, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Israel’s military continues to enforce a blockade on Gaza, restricting food, fuel, and aid—a move condemned by human rights groups as a war crime.

Hamas Hostage Situation

Hamas has reiterated its demands for the release of Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza before agreeing to release the remaining 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive. The group has also rejected Israeli demands for disarmament.

More Deaths and Continued Airstrikes

The violence claimed at least 55 more lives overnight on Thursday. In Khan Younis, 14 bodies were taken to Nasser Hospital, including those of five children and four women, nine of whom were from the same family. Another 19 people, including five children and a pregnant woman, were brought to the European Hospital. In Gaza City, 21 additional people, including seven children, were reported dead.

Investigation into Ambulance Attack

The Israeli military also announced it would investigate a March 23 operation in which its forces fired on ambulances in southern Gaza, killing 15 medics and emergency workers. Israeli forces initially claimed the ambulances were suspicious, but rights groups have raised concerns that these investigations rarely lead to accountability.

Younes Al-Khatib, head of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, told the U.N. Security Council that some medics may have been alive when Israeli forces took control of the scene, citing intercepted radio communications. Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour also submitted a video to the Security Council, alleging that the Israeli military ambushed the convoy.

Israeli Strategy and Plans for Gaza

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed plans to establish a security corridor across Gaza, which would isolate the southern city of Rafah from the rest of the enclave. Israel also reinforced control over the Netzarim corridor, which separates northern Gaza from the southern part of the territory. Netanyahu has said Israel plans to maintain control over Gaza’s security even after the conflict ends. He has also expressed support for former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal for the “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians, which critics view as a form of forced expulsion.

Death Toll and Humanitarian Crisis

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 50,000 Palestinians have died since the conflict began, with more than half of those killed being women and children. Israel claims to have killed about 20,000 Hamas militants, although it has not provided evidence to verify this figure.

The devastation in Gaza is immense, with nearly 90% of the population displaced at the height of the war, and much of the enclave lies in ruins. The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel, killing roughly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Most of the hostages have since been freed or rescued in ceasefire deals.

Netanyahu’s Controversial Travels Amid ICC Warrant

In a related development, Prime Minister Netanyahu arrived in Hungary on Thursday, marking his second overseas visit since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for him in November. The ICC’s investigation is based on accusations that Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant used starvation as a method of warfare and deliberately targeted civilians. Hungary has announced plans to withdraw from the ICC, despite being an ICC member and legally bound to arrest individuals under warrant.

Strike in Lebanon

Meanwhile, a suspected Israeli airstrike early Friday in Sidon, Lebanon, killed at least two people. The strike marks the first attack in the city since the November ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Israel has not commented on the strike, but such actions are consistent with its ongoing airstrikes against Hezbollah and allied groups despite the ceasefire.