On August 3, 2024, Palestinians hurried toward a thick column of smoke rising from an Israeli strike that hit a school complex, including Hamama and al-Huda schools, in Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood. Getty Images
On August 3, 2024, Israeli airstrikes hit two schools in northern Gaza City, resulting in the deaths of 17 Palestinians, most of whom were children, and injuring at least 63 others. The schools, Al-Huda and Al-Hamama, were being used as shelters for people displaced by ongoing violence, according to Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for Gaza Civil Defense.
Basal described the attacks as brutal, noting that the schools were struck multiple times, including a “double tap” attack where the area was hit again shortly after the initial strike. “The first bombing was unexpected and resulted in a large number of martyrs and injured individuals. While the martyrs and injured were being retrieved, the occupation forces issued a warning that another strike was imminent,” Basal reported.
Palestinians removed a body from the debris after an Israeli airstrike targeted a school complex, including Hamama and Al-Huda schools, in the Sheikh Radwan area of northern Gaza City on August 3, 2024. Getty Images
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) responded by stating that the strikes targeted what they claimed was a Hamas command center disguised as a school. “A short while ago, with the intelligence direction of the IDF and ISA, the IAF struck terrorists operating within a Hamas command and control center. In the past, the compound was known as the Hamama school in the northern Gaza Strip,” the IDF said in a statement.
Following the initial bombing, more missiles were fired, exacerbating the damage and casualties. The Gaza Civil Defense reported that the initial strikes resulted in numerous casualties, and despite efforts to rescue those affected, the area was hit again, further complicating rescue operations.
Palestinian rescue workers put out a fire in a damaged building after an Israeli attack struck a school complex, including Hamama and Al-Huda schools, in the Sheikh Radwan area of northern Gaza City on August 3, 2024. Getty Images
The tragedy has sparked outrage and concern. The Gaza Civil Defense released the names of the deceased, revealing that at least three were women. “Until now we don’t have the final number of the deaths, but the initial number is 17, most of them were children,” Basal said.
Footage from the site showed the grim aftermath, with bodies and injured children among the rubble. This incident is part of a broader conflict that escalated when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, leading to a significant Israeli military response. The conflict has claimed nearly 40,000 Palestinian lives and injured over 90,000, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. Nearly 2 million people, nearly the entire population of Gaza, have been displaced, according to United Nations figures.
