At least 15 people have been
reported killed and 150 injured in the bombardment of a UN school in
northern Gaza used to shelter civilians from fierce clashes on the
streets outside.
The Gaza health ministry told the Reuters news agency that Israeli fire had killed at least 15, and injured 150, at the school in Beit Hanoun on Thursday.
An Israeli military source however told Al Jazeera that Palestinian rocket fire had been detected in the area and that it might have fallen short and hit the shelter.
Al Jazeera’s Stefanie Dekker, reporting from Gaza, said she was unable to reach the school after the attack due to heavy Israeli shelling. No one she had spoken to in Gaza believed the deaths were caused by a Palestinian rocket.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Chris Gunness, the spokesman for UNRWA, the UN’s humanitarian organisation in Gaza, said his organisation had been in contact with Israeli forces as fighting closed in on the shelter.
He called the attack “tragic and appalling”.
Robert Turner, the director of UNRWA, told Al Jazeera there was no warning from the Israelis before the shells landed.
“This is a designated emergency shelter. The location was conveyed to the Israelis,” he said. “This was an installation we were managing, that was monitored [to ensure] that our neutrality was maintained.”
“We always call on all parties to ensure that civilians are not harmed.”
Israel has attacked UN schools before, saying that they were being used as safe havens for the armed Palestinians.
The UN has also previously criticised the Palestinian groups for using UN schools to hide fighters and weapons.
The Gaza health ministry told the Reuters news agency that Israeli fire had killed at least 15, and injured 150, at the school in Beit Hanoun on Thursday.
An Israeli military source however told Al Jazeera that Palestinian rocket fire had been detected in the area and that it might have fallen short and hit the shelter.
Al Jazeera’s Stefanie Dekker, reporting from Gaza, said she was unable to reach the school after the attack due to heavy Israeli shelling. No one she had spoken to in Gaza believed the deaths were caused by a Palestinian rocket.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Chris Gunness, the spokesman for UNRWA, the UN’s humanitarian organisation in Gaza, said his organisation had been in contact with Israeli forces as fighting closed in on the shelter.
He called the attack “tragic and appalling”.
Robert Turner, the director of UNRWA, told Al Jazeera there was no warning from the Israelis before the shells landed.
“This is a designated emergency shelter. The location was conveyed to the Israelis,” he said. “This was an installation we were managing, that was monitored [to ensure] that our neutrality was maintained.”
“We always call on all parties to ensure that civilians are not harmed.”
Israel has attacked UN schools before, saying that they were being used as safe havens for the armed Palestinians.
The UN has also previously criticised the Palestinian groups for using UN schools to hide fighters and weapons.
