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UN-run school hit as intense Gaza fighting continues
As fierce fighting between Israel and Hamas continues, a school operated by the United Nations Works and Relief Agency (UNWRA) in Gaza was hit by shelling yesterday afternoon, killing 15 Palestinians.
The school is situated in Beit Hanoun, where intense fighting has been taking place between Israeli forces and Hamas for several days. The school had become a makeshift shelter for many Gazans who have left their homes during the fighting. However, Israeli authorities have said that Hamas forces fired anti-missile rockets from the school and the IDF subsequently advised the UN agency and Red Cross to evacuate the premises, providing a four-hour humanitarian corridor for this to take place. Israeli authorities have suggested that Hamas prevented people from leaving the school and that the rocket which struck the school may have been fired by Hamas. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was “appalled” by the incident. Around 800 Palestinians have died since the start of Operation Protective Edge.
Meanwhile, four Israeli soldiers were injured in fighting overnight and the commander of the Golani 12th Battalion was seriously wounded when a tunnel partially collapsed on him. During the past week, Israeli forces have uncovered around 30 tunnels constructed by Hamas to launch attacks on Israel. The IDF said that it had yesterday struck 130 targets in Gaza and that since launching a ground incursion last week, 240 terrorists had been killed. During fighting yesterday in Rafah and Khan Younis, 150 Hamas fighters surrendered to Israel forces, emerging from hiding spots with hands raised above their heads before being taken into Israeli custody.
A total of 65 rockets were fired from Gaza yesterday at Israel, a significant reduction from the number of rockets launched during previous days. One rocket reached Eilat, but was intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system which also destroyed rockets fired at the Tel Aviv area yesterday. In a rare respite, no rockets were fired overnight, although Ashkelon was targeted again this morning.