Gaza’s civil defense agency has revealed a grim development as Israeli air strikes have intensified, resulting in the deaths of at least 17 individuals since the early hours of Wednesday. The tragic toll includes women and children, exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region. A specific air strike targeted the Yafa school building in Gaza City’s Al-Tuffah neighborhood, which was being utilized as a shelter for displaced families. Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal reported that the bombing ignited a significant blaze, leading to the recovery of several charred bodies from the wreckage.
This escalation follows the resumption of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza on March 18, which came after a fragile two-month ceasefire had brought a temporary halt to hostilities in the already besieged territory. The situation has become increasingly dire, with aid agencies estimating that the majority of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents have experienced displacement at least once since the onset of the conflict.
Bassal highlighted the overwhelming challenges faced by rescue teams. “We lack the necessary tools and equipment to carry out effective rescue operations or recover the bodies of martyrs,” he noted, illustrating the desperate conditions under which civil defense teams are operating. They have been receiving distress calls from various regions in Gaza, indicating the widespread impact of air strikes and shelling.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military claimed responsibility for targeting around 40 “engineering vehicles,” claiming they were utilized for “terror purposes.” Bassal alleged that air strikes have destroyed crucial bulldozers and machinery needed not only to clear debris but also to help recover bodies and save lives of those trapped beneath the rubble.
The fatalities continued to mount throughout Gaza on Wednesday, with a child killed in an air strike on a residential home in the northern Jabalia area, and another individual reported dead in a similar incident in Khan Yunis, located in the southern part of the territory. Additionally, four more deaths were confirmed from Israeli shelling in eastern Gaza City, with many more victims believed to be trapped under the rubble of destroyed structures.
While the situation deteriorates, the Israeli military has yet to comment on the latest air strikes. Since the resumption of hostilities, Gaza’s health ministry has reported at least 1,890 fatalities, increasing the cumulative death toll since the beginning of the war to at least 51,266. The numbers reflect not just the staggering human cost but also the relentless cycle of violence that has characterized the region since Hamas’s initial attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, predominantly civilians.
