GAZA CITY — An Israeli airstrike struck a school in Gaza on Monday, killing at least 80 people, according to local health officials.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the school served as a command center for Hamas militants, prompting the targeted strike.
The IDF defended the operation, citing intelligence that indicated Hamas used the school for military operations. “Hamas continues to embed its infrastructure within civilian locations,” the IDF said in a statement, calling the strike necessary for national security.
Gaza’s Health Ministry condemned the airstrike as a breach of international law and a violation of civilian protections under the Geneva Conventions.
The ministry stated that the school had functioned solely as an educational facility. Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, denied Israeli claims and said the strike deliberately targeted civilians.
Protests erupted across parts of Gaza in the aftermath, with demonstrators accusing Israel of indiscriminate targeting in densely populated areas.
Israeli officials, meanwhile, reiterated their stance on the right to self-defense and called for international recognition of the complexities of urban warfare in Gaza.