Islamic Jihad, Fatah Condemn Israel’s School Strike as War Crime
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Fatah condemned an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza City, which killed over 100 people, calling it a war crime and part of a broader pattern of violence against Palestinians.
In a statement, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) referred to the attack on al-Tabin School in the al-Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City as a “complete war crime,” slamming the Israeli military’s justification for targeting schools as unfounded.
“The enemy army’s excuses for destroying schools are the same ones it used to destroy hospitals before, and they have been proven false,” the statement read.
PIJ also criticized international institutions and courts for failing to hold Israeli leaders accountable as war criminals, attributing this failure to the continued attacks.
A spokesperson for the Palestinian president condemned the massacre, describing it as part of a daily pattern of criminal acts by Israel, which he accused of seeking to annihilate the Palestinian people amid international silence.
Fatah also condemned the attack, calling it an epitome of terrorism and urging international action.
Other Palestinian factions have similarly condemned the attack, with many holding the Biden administration responsible for its continued support of Israel.
Just hours before the attack, the Biden administration had approved over $3 billion in aid for Israel to purchase more weapons.
Rescue efforts continue at the bombed school site, with 80 bodies identified so far, while 20 remain unidentified.
Additionally, 15 bodies arrived at the hospital in pieces, making identification impossible.
Families are going to great lengths to identify their loved ones, searching for any possible marks or unique features.
Tamer Kirolos, a regional director for Save the Children, described the attack as the “deadliest on a school since last October,” expressing devastation at the loss of life, including many children.
He highlighted that children comprise around 40 percent of those killed and injured in Gaza since October.
“Civilians, children, must be protected. An immediate definitive ceasefire is the only foreseeable way that will happen,” Kirolos added.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 39,790 people have been killed and 91,702 wounded in Israeli military attacks on Gaza since October 7.