Gaza City, Palestine — A devastating Israeli airstrike on the Al-Jarjawi School in Gaza City has left at least 30 Palestinians, including numerous children, burned alive in what is now being described as one of the most horrific massacres since the escalation of hostilities began.
Eyewitnesses recount scenes of unimaginable horror as flames engulfed the school, which had been serving as a shelter for displaced families. In one particularly disturbing moment captured on video, a young Palestinian child, face scorched and voice trembling with fear, was seen running through a wall of fire, crying out for help.
“They were sleeping. They thought they were safe here,” said Fatima Al-Qudra, a surviving mother whose two sons are still missing beneath the rubble. “We came here to escape the bombs. Instead, we found the fire.”
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Medical workers on the ground said most of the victims were burned beyond recognition. Hospitals, already overwhelmed and operating without adequate electricity or medical supplies, have been forced to turn away survivors due to overcrowding and lack of critical care resources.
The bombing of the school — considered a civilian structure under international law — has sparked fresh outrage among humanitarian groups. The United Nations has called for an immediate investigation, reiterating that schools, hospitals, and shelters must never be targeted in conflict.
This strike marks yet another bloody chapter in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has claimed thousands of lives, predominantly civilians, in the besieged Gaza Strip.
As global condemnation mounts, survivors and aid workers continue to plead for a ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access to save those still clinging to life amid the rubble and ashes.
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“The world is watching,” said Dr. Hani Saeed, a trauma specialist treating victims. “But watching is not enough. Action is overdue.”
See the video footage of the fire scene below: