Israeli strikes hit Gaza UN schools sheltering displaced civilians

Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple UNRWA-run schools in Gaza City on 13 September, which had been used to shelter displaced Palestinians, destroying belongings but causing no reported injuries.

Several UN-run schools in Gaza City were struck by Israeli forces on Saturday in a campaign that has escalated against areas where civilians continue to seek refuge. Although the buildings had been evacuated, the airstrikes left behind widespread destruction and stripped many displaced Palestinians of their few remaining possessions.

Footage from the scene showed people running amid explosions and thick plumes of smoke rising over the ruins of the schools. One of the shelters, operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), was previously home to families who had fled earlier bombardments.

"God is sufficient for me, and he is the best disposer of affairs," said Fidaa al-Za’aneen, a woman displaced by the fighting, as she fled the attack. "They hit the school that is sheltering us… There are no blankets, no mattresses, no pillows. Where would we go, oh world?"

Witnesses described frantic efforts to retrieve any surviving belongings from the rubble, with many now left homeless again. Za’aneen said she had been preparing food for children when the evacuation call came. Minutes later, the building was bombed. “We only managed to get out with what we’re wearing,” she added.

The Israeli military claimed responsibility for the strikes, stating it had targeted over 500 sites in Gaza City over the past week, including sniper positions, tunnel entrances, and weapons storage. It said the aim was to eliminate Hamas and establish full control over the devastated city.

Despite Israeli warnings ahead of the attacks, Palestinians who had sheltered in the schools said they had nowhere else to go. Misbah Joudeh, another displaced man, explained: “I am not leaving, whatever happens. We don’t even have a coin to ride a car.”

The continued bombardment has devastated critical infrastructure across Gaza, with residents struggling to find shelter, food or medical care. Aid organisations warn that without an immediate halt to the strikes, the humanitarian crisis could become irreversible.

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