Israeli Airstrike in Gaza Kills at Least 31, Including 18 Children, in Attack on Displacement Shelter School

Aftermath of a bombed school in Gaza, showing rubble and rescue workers searching for survivors. Apr 3rd, 2025 Photo: EFE

April 3, 2025 Hour: 4:46 pm

Israeli airstrike on Gaza’s Dar Al-Arqam school kills 31, including 18 children, as displaced civilians shelter. Gaza’s health system nears collapse amid ongoing attacks. Read the full report.

A devastating Israeli airstrike in Gaza City has killed at least 31 people, including 18 children and several women, and left dozens more injured. The attack occurred on Thursday at the Dar Al-Arqam school, which housed thousands of civilians displaced by the ongoing conflict, according to Mahmud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense, via his Telegram channel.

The Gaza Health Ministry had earlier confirmed 27 deaths in the attack and reported around 70 injured. Basal noted that among the victims were at least six people, including a pregnant woman carrying twins, whose bodies were recovered from the rubble of the destroyed school.

The Gaza government, controlled by the Islamist group Hamas, condemned the attack, emphasizing that Israel launched high-powered missiles despite the school serving as a shelter for thousands of civilians fleeing previous bombings. Emergency teams also face challenges accessing affected areas and transporting the wounded to Gaza’s few remaining functional hospitals.

At least 25 people were killed in the latest Israeli massacre in #Gaza when the IOF brutally struck Dar al-Arqam School, which houses Palestinian refugees.

According to local Palestinian media, the Mayor of Beit Hanoun, Dr. Mohammad Nazek al-Kafarna was reportedly among the… pic.twitter.com/zUo22OO2dC
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) April 3, 2025

Gaza’s healthcare system is on the verge of collapse due to destroyed hospitals and the ongoing blockade, severely complicating medical care for the injured. Since the war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, local authorities report that Israel has attacked at least 229 displacement centers, violating international conventions.

The Israeli military justified the airstrike, claiming it targeted “prominent terrorists” operating from a command center in Gaza City, without mentioning the school. A military statement alleged the site was used to plan attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers.

This tragic attack follows recent bombings that killed over 100 people in a single day, per Gaza’s Health Ministry. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen, with thousands of homes destroyed and displaced families forced into precarious living conditions.