UNRWA says Israeli strike on Gaza school killed 6 staff : NPR

NUSEIRAT REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip — The United Nations reduction company for Palestinian refugees within the Gaza Strip says Israeli airstrikes hit a faculty that was sheltering households in central Gaza, killing six of its workers.

The U.N. company, UNRWA, says that is the fifth time the al-Jaouni college has been hit for the reason that begin of the conflict. It says that some 12,000 folks — principally ladies and kids — are taking shelter there and the supervisor of the UNWRA workforce serving to folks was killed in Wednesday’s strike.

First responders say 18 folks died within the assault that brought on the roof of a shelter to collapse. Households have been left scrambling to seek out their family members amid the wreckage.

“Nobody is secure in Gaza,” the company stated in an announcement. “Nobody is spared.”

António Guterres, the U.N. Secretary Common, known as the strikes “dramatic violations of worldwide humanitarian legislation.”

“What’s taking place in Gaza is completely unacceptable,” he wrote on X, previously Twitter.

The Israeli navy stated Hamas was utilizing the varsity as a “command and management heart.”

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, responded to Guterres’ criticism by writing on X: “It’s unconscionable that the UN continues to sentence Israel in its simply conflict towards terrorists, whereas Hamas continues to make use of ladies and kids as human shields.”

UNWRA known as on all events within the battle to “by no means use colleges or the areas round them for navy or preventing functions” and stated that “colleges and different civilian infrastructure should be protected always.”

Sixteen folks have been reported killed in a earlier Israeli assault on a number of buildings within the Al-Jaouni college compound in July, which Israel stated was being utilized by Hamas fighters.

UNRWA says Wednesday’s assault brought on the very best variety of workers killed in a single incident. No less than 220 company workers have misplaced their lives for the reason that conflict started. Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-Common, stated humanitarian workers are being “disregarded” within the Gaza conflict.

“The longer impunity prevails, the extra worldwide humanitarian legislation and the Geneva conventions will turn out to be irrelevant,” he wrote on social media.

Gaza’s Well being Ministry says greater than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed and 95,125 injured in Israel’s navy offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, the day that Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 folks and taking 250 hostages.

Hundreds of thousands of Gaza residents have been displaced within the conflict, a lot of them a number of instances. The inhabitants is blighted by starvation and the unfold of illness.

The World Well being Group stated on Wednesday it carried out its largest medical evacuation from Gaza for the reason that begin of the conflict, taking 97 sick and severely injured sufferers and 155 companions to the United Arab Emirates for therapy. The sufferers have been 45 kids and 52 adults with a variety of situations, together with most cancers and different illnesses and accidents from the battle.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director-general, stated the evacuation was a “extremely complicated operation” that was “accomplished below immense time strain to convey all sufferers collectively.”

A WHO report printed Thursday discovered that some 22,500 folks — a couple of quarter of these wounded within the conflict in Gaza — have accidents that may require rehabilitation now and for years to come back. In accordance with the report, some 3,105 and 4,050 limbs have been amputated on account of the battle. Many, together with 1000’s of girls and kids, undergo from injured spinal cords, traumatic mind accidents or main burns.

“The large surge in rehabilitation wants happens in parallel with the continuing decimation of the well being system,” stated Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, a WHO consultant for the West Financial institution and Gaza. “Sufferers can’t get the care they want. Acute rehabilitation providers are severely disrupted and specialised look after complicated accidents isn’t out there, putting sufferers’ lives in danger. Rapid and long-term assist is urgently wanted to handle the big rehabilitation wants.” 

Gaza’s solely limb reconstruction and rehabilitation heart, supported by WHO, stopped functioning in December 2023 due to lack of provides, and since specialised well being employees have been themselves being compelled to depart the world seeking security. The report says 39 physiotherapists have been killed.

The WHO says its newest report highlights how huge the unmet medical wants are in Gaza immediately.

NPR’s Ruth Sherlock reported from Rome. Anas Baba reported from Nuseirat Refugee Camp within the Gaza Strip. Hadeel Al-Shalchi contributed reporting from Tel Aviv.