A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) has strongly condemned the Israeli military’s repeated strikes on schools across Gaza, describing the attacks as part of a “widespread carnage” against civilians seeking refuge.
According to HRW, Israeli forces have struck over 500 school buildings during the ongoing war in Gaza, many of which were being used as shelters by displaced Palestinian families.
The organization investigated two particularly deadly incidents and found no evidence of military targets at the time of the attacks:
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On July 27, 2024, an Israeli airstrike hit Khadija Girls’ School in Deir al-Balah, killing at least 15 civilians.
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On September 21, 2024, another strike targeted Al-Zeitoun C School in Gaza City, killing 34 people.
Both schools were housing families who had been displaced by earlier bombing campaigns.
HRW concluded that these attacks were “unlawfully indiscriminate” and violated international humanitarian law, which prohibits the targeting of civilian infrastructure, especially sites that are not being used for military purposes.
“Israeli strikes on schools sheltering displaced families provide a window into the widespread carnage that Israeli forces have carried out in Gaza,” said Gerry Simpson, associate crisis, conflict and arms director at Human Rights Watch.
“Other governments should not tolerate this horrendous slaughter of Palestinian civilians merely seeking safety.”
The group called on the international community to take a stronger stance against what it described as war crimes and urged governments supplying arms to Israel to reconsider their support.
A Pattern of Targeting Civilian Shelters
This report adds to mounting evidence that civilian infrastructure — including schools, hospitals, and refugee camps — has been systematically targeted during Israel’s military campaign, now nearing its 11th month. Over 30,000 Palestinians, the majority women and children, have been killed since the war began in October 2023, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
Israel has repeatedly claimed that Hamas fighters embed themselves within civilian sites — but Human Rights Watch says its investigations have found no such justification in many of the most lethal strikes, including those on schools.
Pressure Mounts for International Accountability
Human rights groups are increasingly calling for international accountability, including sanctions, arms embargoes, and independent investigations into alleged war crimes. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is reportedly assessing evidence related to civilian deaths in Gaza, though no formal charges have been filed against Israeli officials to date.
Despite the growing body of evidence and international condemnation, the attacks on schools — and other civilian targets — have continued, often without warning.
For the families in Gaza, schools once seen as a safe haven have become yet another place of loss and trauma.
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