GAZA/CAIRO, Sept 21 (Reuters) – Palestinian sources claim that an Israeli airstrike killed at least 22 individuals in a school in southern Gaza City that was serving as a refuge for displaced people. Conversely, the Israeli military asserts that the strike aimed at a Hamas command center.

The health ministry in Gaza reported that many casualties were women and children, with the Hamas-led government media office indicating that among the deceased were 13 children and six women.

The Israeli military stated that it targeted a Hamas command post located within a facility that previously operated as a school, reiterating the claim that Hamas uses civilian sites for military operations, a charge that Hamas rejects.

Video footage from the scene revealed damaged walls, destroyed and charred furniture, and a roof with holes as individuals searched for their belongings amid the wreckage.

One eyewitness, Said Al-Malahi, recounted, “The women and their children were outside in the schoolyard, the kids were playing, and then suddenly two rockets struck them.”

Some victims were wrapped in blankets and taken away by donkey carts, while ambulances transported others.

Another witness, Ahmed Azzam, expressed his anguish, saying, “I couldn’t bear it; I saw no injured men, only women and children. Let the Arab nations celebrate and applaud (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and the United States of America,” voicing frustration that neighboring countries were not taking a strong stance against Israel.

‘Medics killed’

In Rafah, located in the southern Gaza Strip, the Gaza health ministry reported that an Israeli strike killed four medical personnel when ministry warehouses were struck. Ambulance crews were unable to reach the victims or provide assistance to the injured, according to the ministry.

The Israeli military stated that operations in Rafah since May have resulted in the deaths of numerous militants and the dismantling of military-related infrastructure and tunnels.

Israel’s insistence on maintaining control over the southern border between Rafah and Egypt has emerged as a significant hurdle in international efforts to finalize a ceasefire agreement.

Hamas claims to be seeking a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, while Israel contends that the conflict can only end with the destruction of Hamas. Another contentious issue has been the details surrounding a potential exchange of Israeli captives for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.

The ongoing conflict in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian dispute escalated on October 7 when Hamas attacked Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of approximately 250 hostages, as per Israeli estimates.

Since the beginning of Israel’s offensive on Gaza, local health authorities report that over 41,000 Palestinians have died, with nearly the entire population of 2.3 million displaced.

(Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Additional reporting by Dawoud Abu Alkas in Gaza, Adam Makary in Cairo, and Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Andrew Cawthorne)