Shell-shocked Palestinians in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip have questioned the inexplicable bombings which are being conducted by Israel on schools housing scores of innocent families, with many becoming increasingly desperate for their lives as seemingly nowhere is safe from these targeted Israeli attacks.
The United Nations estimates that around 1.9 million of Gaza's 2.1 million population have been forcibly displaced amid Israel's military attacks. Many Gazans are now residing in school buildings that have been turned into makeshift shelters, but these appear to no longer be safe spaces either, due to the frequency of ongoing Israeli airstrikes.
Since the beginning of August, at least 13 schools that have taken in those seeking safety have been subject to attacks, the worst of which came on Saturday when over 100 people were killed. The bombings have provoked widespread anger across the Middle East, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the continued loss of life in Gaza.
At the Al-Ramla School, half of the building has been reduced to rubble by Israeli shelling. However, with nowhere else to go, many families are still choosing to stay there temporarily and hope for the best.
"We came from the Shuja'iyya neighborhood. We used to live in the Dalal al-Maghribi School, which was bombed ten days ago. We had to move here after that. You can see that this school is badly damaged. There are only ten classrooms and ten to twelve families living there. The building next to us was attacked two days ago. The Al-Zahraa School that is less than 20 to 30 meters away from us was also attacked a few days ago," Omar Sukkar, a displaced man told China Central Television (CCTV).
According to figures published by the Hamas-run Gaza government media office on Monday, since the conflict erupted on October 7 last year, 175 shelters have been attacked by the Israeli army, including over 150 schools housing displaced people.
The attacks come as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) alleges some Palestinian militants are operating inside these schools or are using them as command centers, but for many of the traumatized civilians living here, such accusations seem hard to fathom.
"The Israeli army claims there are resistance forces, political or military personnel here. Where are the military personnel? Look at these buildings. Is there anything here? Where are the 'commanders' or so-called 'armed personnel'? How they came to such a conclusion? Please explain. There are only children in the attacked school," said Hamza Al-Skafi, another displaced man sheltering in the school.
The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza has now risen to nearly 40,000, the Gaza-based health authorities said on Tuesday.
Displaced Palestinians left desperate, dismayed as Israel targets school shelters
Displaced Palestinians left desperate, dismayed as Israel targets school shelters
Displaced Palestinians left desperate, dismayed as Israel targets school shelters
Displaced Palestinians left desperate, dismayed as Israel targets school shelters
