Israeli Forces Accused of Executing Civilians Sheltering in Gaza School

The Shadia Abu Ghazala School, situated in the al-Faluja area west of the Jabalia refugee camp, became a shelter for many amidst escalating Israeli violence. As the fighting intensified and bombardments grew fiercer, civilians sought safety at the school, considering it a place of refuge.

While the surrounding areas faced heavy bombardment, eyewitnesses affirm that the school itself did not sustain substantial airstrikes, a fact corroborated by the condition of the classrooms. However, Al Jazeera reported it obtained video footage and images on Wednesday that painted a harrowing picture of bodies piled up inside the school.

Witnesses recount a harrowing scene at the Shadia Abu Ghazala School, where Israeli forces carried out a brutal execution-style killing of numerous civilians, including women, children, and infants, as they sought refuge within the school's premises.

Accounts from the scene describe an indiscriminate attack by Israeli soldiers. A woman present during the incident recounted, “The Israeli soldiers came in and opened fire on them. They took all men, then entered classrooms and opened fire on a woman and all the children with her.”

Disturbingly, the woman highlighted that among the victims were newborn children. “The Israeli soldiers executed those innocent families at point blank,” She lamented.

The grim testimonies from witnesses starkly illustrate a horrifying episode amounting to what appears to be an act of genocide against civilians seeking sanctuary amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza. These accounts join a distressing series of news highlighting the tragic toll of genocide perpetrated on innocent civilians. At least 18,412 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7.