Israeli Shelling Sparks Fire at UNRWA School Shelter in Northern Gaza

Gaza: A fire erupted at a United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) school in Jabalia camp, northern Gaza, following an intense Israeli artillery assault. This marks the second time the school has been targeted in as many days, raising concerns over the safety of displaced individuals seeking refuge there. According to Maan News Agency, the blaze at Abu Hussein School in Jabalia camp prompted urgent calls for assistance in extinguishing the fire and rescuing those displaced by the ongoing conflict. Hamas issued a statement condemning the Israeli military's renewed targeting of the school, which serves as a shelter for displaced people. The statement described the artillery shelling as part of a pattern of aggression, citing a previous incident at the school that resulted in a "massacre" and additional attacks on another school in western Gaza City, leading to fatalities among the displaced. Hamas further criticized what it sees as the occupation's strategy to displace Palestinian s through violence and alleged massacres. The group emphasized the resilience and awareness of the Palestinian people in resisting these efforts, which they claim are supported by the American administration. It called on Arab and Islamic nations to fulfill their historical duties by supporting the Palestinian cause and halting what they termed a "Zionist war of extermination," warning of severe repercussions for regional peace and security. The Gaza government media office reported last Thursday that the Israeli army had perpetrated a "new massacre" by bombing the Abu Hussein school, resulting in the deaths of 28 individuals and injuries to 160 others. The office highlighted that the Israeli military was aware the school sheltered thousands of displaced women and children who had fled bombed residential areas. The statement from the government media office also noted that this incident increases the tally of bombed shelters and displacement centers to 192, affecting hundreds of thousands of displaced peopl e. These shelters have become critical refuges for those driven from their homes by what they describe as a "war of genocide" waged by the occupation forces against the Palestinian population.