Gaza: Israeli Strike on Jabalia School Kills 28, Including Children
An Israeli airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza’s Jabalia has killed at least 28 people, including children.
Dozens were also injured in the strike, said the official, Medhat Abbas, adding: “There is no water to extinguish the fire. There is nothing. This is a massacre.”
“Civilians and children are being killed, burned under fire,” said Abbas.
The Israeli military claims the attack targeted an “operational meeting” of Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters, though no evidence was provided to support the claims.
The school was being used to shelter displaced civilians, as Israel’s siege of Jabalia in the northern part of the region enters its 13th day.
In a separate development, Israeli forces have issued warnings to residents in the Bekaa region of eastern Lebanon, urging them to evacuate. The warning stated that the area will be targeted by Israeli military strikes.
Additionally, a German warship, part of the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission, shot down a drone off the coast of Lebanon on Thursday, according to the German defence ministry.
The ministry has not yet provided further details about the drone or its origin.
Some 345,000 Gazans face “catastrophic” levels of hunger this winter after aid deliveries fell, a UN-backed assessment said Thursday, warning of the persistent risk of famine across the Palestinian territory.
This is up from the 133,000 people currently categorised as experiencing “catastrophic food insecurity”, according to a classification compiled by UN agencies and NGOs.
An Israeli security official informed French news agency AFP that the military is currently conducting DNA tests on the body of a fighter to verify if it is indeed Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated, “The Israeli military is conducting DNA tests on a body of a militant to confirm whether it is Sinwar,” as they were not authorised to discuss the matter with the media.
Hamas denied on Thursday that it had used the Abu Hussein school in Jabalia refugee camp for military purposes, following Israeli airstrikes that killed at least 28 people at the site.
Israel claimed that Hamas and Islamic Jihad were operating from the school, which was serving as a shelter for displaced individuals, and alleged it was being used as a command centre.
Children were among those killed in the attack.
Members of Israel’s security cabinet have been informed that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is very likely dead, two officials with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.
Two of Israel’s broadcasters, KAN and N12 News also cited Israeli officials as saying Sinwar was dead.
The entire Gaza Strip remains at risk of famine and is experiencing emergency levels of hunger, with intense Israeli military operations adding to concerns and hampering humanitarian access, a global monitor said on Thursday.
About 1.84 million people across the Palestinian territory are living through high levels of acute food insecurity, including nearly 133,000 people experiencing the most severe, or “catastrophic”, levels, according to an analysis from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
The IPC noted an increase in food entering Gaza since May, but said humanitarian access began shrinking again in September.
That is down from roughly 343,000 people suffering catastrophic hunger at the time of the last update in June, but the number was expected to double in coming months, the IPC said.
“The risk of famine persists across the whole Gaza Strip. Given the recent surge in hostilities, there are growing concerns that this worst-case scenario may materialize,” the IPC said in a summary of the analysis.
Israel’s latest evacuation orders in Gaza have disrupted humanitarian operations, and repeated displacements have steadily worn down people’s ability to cope and access food, water and medicine, the IPC said.
An estimated 60,000 cases of acute malnutrition among young children were expected between September 2024 and August 2025, according to the IPC.
The new analysis was conducted between Sept. 30 and Oct. 4 and does not reflect the most recent developments on the ground.
At least 28 people have been killed in an airstrike on a school in Gaza, according to the health ministry.
The Israeli military claims operatives were present at the school, while Hamas has denied this assertion.
Residents of Jabalia report that Israel is conducting attacks using both airstrikes and tank fire.
