An Israeli airstrike killed at least 10 people and wounded several others near a school sheltering displaced Palestinians on Monday, according to local health officials. The bombardment occurred in the central Gaza Strip, east of the Maghazi refugee camp, marking a significant escalation in violence that threatens a fragile, U.S.-backed ceasefire.
Residents and medics reported that the strike followed clashes between local Palestinians and members of an Israeli-backed militia. Eyewitnesses alleged that the militia attempted to abduct individuals at the school before opening fire. Ahmed al-Maghazi, a local resident, stated that the militia attacked the area before the Israeli military intervened with drone strikes.
"The residents tried to defend their homes, but the occupation forces targeted them directly," al-Maghazi told Reuters. While a leader of an Israeli-backed militia claimed in an unverified video that five Hamas members were killed during the encounter, Hamas did not immediately comment on the incident.
WHO halts medical evacuations
In a separate development, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced it is suspending medical evacuations from Gaza through the Rafah crossing into Egypt. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that a contractor working for the organization was killed during a security incident, forcing the agency to halt operations until further notice.
Monday’s violence also extended to other parts of the territory. Medics reported that an Israeli airstrike killed one person and wounded a child traveling on a motorbike in Gaza City. Separately, Israeli forces reportedly shot and killed another individual in a vehicle in central Gaza.
In response to the latter incident, the Israeli military stated that troops fired at an "unmarked vehicle" that failed to stop despite warning shots. These incidents bring the total death toll reported on Monday to at least 12 people. The Israeli military has not provided a detailed account of the school strike, though the situation remains volatile as regional tensions continue to undermine diplomatic efforts to stabilize the strip.
