Khadija School airstrike

On 26 July 2024, during the Gaza war, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out an airstrike on Khadija School in Deir al-Balah, in the central region of Gaza. The strike killed at least 30 people, including seven minors. The Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas, reported an additional 100 casualties beyond this initial toll. Victims were transported to Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital for treatment.

Khadija School had been serving as a shelter for displaced people and also functioned as a field hospital at the time of the strike. Civil defense workers reported that the site was providing shelter to more than 4,000 people. The IDF stated that it targeted a Hamas command center it alleged was located within the school compound, further asserting that the site was being used to plan attacks against Israeli troops and to produce and store weapons. Hamas rejected these allegations.

In the aftermath, classrooms at the school were destroyed, and people were reported to be sifting through debris in an effort to locate victims and collect remains.

The strike drew a range of international reactions. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell expressed disapproval of the strike and underscored the necessity of a ceasefire. Hamas condemned the airstrike as part of what it called a "genocide plan" against the Palestinian people and called for international intervention to stop what it described as a systematic campaign of violence against Palestinians. The Arab Parliament strongly condemned the airstrike, describing it as a "heinous massacre" and a "flagrant violation of international law," criticized what it characterized as the silence of the international community, and called for pressure on governments to hold Israel accountable. Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris condemned the strike as "inhumane and despicable," stating that targeting an area populated by displaced families was unacceptable, and called for an immediate ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza. The Iranian government expressed disapproval and called for international intervention to halt the violence. The Syrian government denounced what it called daily massacres against the Palestinian people and called for international action to protect civilians. The aid organization ActionAid called for an immediate end to hostilities and urged governments to fulfill obligations under international law to protect civilians. Islamic Relief stated it was "appalled at yet another deadly massacre at a school."