Palestinians gather to receive food aid distributed along the road in Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on Jan. 11, 2025, as the war between Israel and Hamas militants continues. (Credit: Eyad Baba/ AFP)
Gaza’s Civil Defense reported Saturday that eight people, including two children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school building in the northern part of the Palestinian territory, where the Israeli army said it was targeting Hamas fighters.
"Eight people, including two children and two women, were killed in an Israeli strike on Halwa School, which shelters thousands of displaced people in Jabalia," said Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal. "30 people were injured, including 19 children," he added.
The Israeli army stated that it had targeted "terrorists in a command center that previously served as a school" and emphasized that all necessary measures were taken "to minimize the risk to civilians."
Since Oct. 6, the Israeli military has been conducting an intense ground and air offensive in northern Gaza, aiming to prevent Hamas militants from regrouping in the area.
The military announced Saturday that three "terrorists" were killed during a ground operation near Jabalia.
The Gaza war was triggered by an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israeli soil on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
More than 46,000 people, primarily civilians, have been killed in the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza, according to figures from Gaza’s Health Ministry, which the United Nations has deemed reliable.
