16 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Strike on Gaza School-Shelter

At least 16 Palestinians were killed, including children and an 11-month-old baby, during an Israeli airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza's Nuseirat refugee camp on Thursday.

According to local reports from Nuseirat's Al-Awda hospital, more than 30 others were wounded in the attack.

The incident comes amid continued Israeli military operations in Gaza, following the October 7 assault by Hamas-led militants in southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of approximately 250 hostages. In response, Israeli airstrikes have killed over 42,000 Palestinians, with Gaza’s Health Ministry stating that more than half of the casualties are women and children.

The State of Palestine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged the United Nations Security Council to take immediate action to halt what it described as "genocide" and "war crimes," including the displacement and denial of medical aid to Gaza’s population. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, speaking at the BRICS Summit, called for an immediate cessation of Israeli military operations in Gaza and for Israel’s withdrawal from the territory. He urged the international community to hold Israel accountable under international law, emphasizing the importance of finding a just solution to the Palestinian issue.

The Israeli military has not yet commented on the strike. Israel has carried out multiple airstrikes on schools and shelters in recent months, claiming that Hamas militants use civilian sites as cover for their operations. The ongoing conflict has resulted in widespread displacement, with around 90% of Gaza’s population, or 2.3 million people, forced from their homes.

Negotiations for a ceasefire, mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, have stalled in recent months, while the conflict has spread to Lebanon, where Israeli forces have been engaged with Hezbollah militants.