A blazing inferno engulfed tents and classrooms at Gaza City’s Yafa School after Israeli airstrikes hit the shelter for displaced families Wednesday, killing at least 10 people and pushing the day’s death toll to 20. Local health officials confirmed a separate strike also damaged a children’s hospital, leaving Gaza’s collapsing healthcare system teetering further.
Chaos and Desperation
Eyewitnesses described scenes of terror as flames consumed the school in the Tuffah neighborhood, with families scrambling through smoke-filled corridors to salvage belongings. “The whole school was on fire, and people were shouting,” one survivor recounted. Medics struggled to reach victims amid ongoing bombardments that have paralyzed rescue efforts.
Hospital Under Fire
The Durra Children’s Hospital’s ICU and solar power system were destroyed in another strike, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. While no fatalities were reported there, the attack deepened fears about access to life-saving care as Israel’s blockade halts fuel and medical supplies.
War’s Rising Toll
Over 1,600 Palestinians have been killed since fighting resumed in March after a failed ceasefire, per Gaza authorities. Israel says its blockade aims to pressure Hamas to release hostages taken during the group’s October 2023 attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis. Hamas insists any deal must end the war entirely.
