(Refiles so as to add ‘it’ to headline)
By Nidal al-Mughrabi
CAIRO (Reuters) – An Israeli airstrike on a Gaza college compound housing displaced households killed round 100 individuals, the Hamas-run Gaza authorities mentioned on Saturday, whereas the Israeli army mentioned it focused Hamas militants there and solid doubt on the loss of life toll.
Video from the location confirmed physique elements scattered on the bottom and extra our bodies being carried away and coated in blankets on the ground. Empty meals tins lay in a puddle of blood and burnt mattresses and a toddler’s doll among the many particles.
In one other a part of the Tabeen college complicated in Gaza Metropolis, males prayed over a dozen physique luggage laid out on the bottom.
The Hamas-run media workplace mentioned in a press release that the strikes hit when individuals sheltering on the college had been performing daybreak prayers, resulting in many casualties.
“So far, there are more than 93 martyrs, including 11 children and six women. There are unidentified remains,” mentioned Palestinian Civil Defence spokesperson, Mahmoud Bassal, in a televised information convention.
Round 350 households had been sheltering on the compound, Bassal mentioned. Two flooring had been hit, the higher flooring housing households, together with ladies and kids, and the decrease flooring that was used as a mosque. The Gaza well being ministry has up to now not supplied casualty particulars.
In a press release in Hebrew the Israeli army mentioned the loss of life toll was inflated. It mentioned round 20 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants had been working on the website.
“The compound, and the mosque that was struck within it, served as an active Hamas and Islamic Jihad military facility,” Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani mentioned on X.
“According to an initial review, the numbers published by the Hamas-run Government Information Office in Gaza, do not align with the information held by the IDF (Israel Defence Forces), the precise munitions used, and the accuracy of the strike,” Shoshani mentioned.
A army official mentioned that the a part of the mosque struck was a males’s space the place no ladies or youngsters had been current.
“This was verified by intelligence and the strike was carried out using three small, precise munitions which cannot cause the scale of damage that the Palestinians are reporting,” the official mentioned.
Israel says Palestinian militant teams embed amongst Gaza’s civilians, working from inside faculties, hospitals and designated humanitarian zones – which Hamas and its allies deny.
Hamas mentioned the strike was a horrific crime and a severe escalation. Izzat El-Reshiq, a member of Hamas’ political workplace, mentioned the lifeless didn’t embrace a “single combatant.”
Tens of 1000’s of displaced Palestinians have sought shelter in Gaza’s faculties, most of which have stopped functioning because the begin of the warfare 10 months in the past.
A separate strike on Saturday killed three Palestinians in Al-Nuseirat, in central Gaza and one other killed one particular person within the close by Deir Al-Balah metropolis, medics mentioned.
NEW ROUND OF CEASEFIRE TALKS
A spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, urged Israel’s ally Washington to place an finish to the “blind support that leads to the killing of thousands of innocent civilians, including children, women, and the elderly.”
Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia condemned the strike, which got here as mediators had been pushing to renew ceasefire talks. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri mentioned the strike ought to function a turning level of their efforts.
Egypt mentioned that the killing of Gaza civilians confirmed Israel had no intention to finish the warfare. Qatar’s overseas ministry described the strike as a “horrific massacre”.
Egypt, the US and Qatar have scheduled a brand new spherical of ceasefire negotiations for Thursday, as fears are rising of a broader battle, involving Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has mentioned he won’t finish the warfare till Hamas not poses a menace to Israelis, mentioned a delegation can be despatched to the Aug. 15 talks.
A Hamas official advised Reuters the group was finding out the brand new provide for talks however didn’t elaborate.
Israel launched its assault on Gaza after Hamas fighters stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 individuals, principally civilians, and capturing greater than 250 hostages, in keeping with Israeli tallies.
Since then, practically 40,000 Palestinians have been killed within the Israeli offensive in Gaza, in keeping with the well being ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Well being officers say many of the fatalities have been civilians. Israel, which has misplaced 329 troopers in Gaza, says at the very least a 3rd of the Palestinian fatalities are fighters. Iran-backed Hamas doesn’t publish its casualties.
(This story has been refiled so as to add the phrase ‘it’ to the headline)
