Tensions in Gaza escalated dramatically on Sunday as an Israeli air strike targeted a Hamas government official, Ehab al-Ghussein, along with three others in Gaza City, according to a report by Al Jazeera.
The strike, confirmed by Gaza's Civil Defence, resulted in casualties among civilians as well, heightening concerns over the humanitarian impact of the ongoing conflict.
According to reports from Gaza's Civil Defence, the Israeli aircraft bombed a school building on the western outskirts of Gaza City, which was serving as a shelter for displaced people. The attack caused extensive damage to the school, prompting dozens of displaced individuals to flee in a desperate attempt to escape the chaos and danger.
Video footage verified by Al Jazeera's fact-checking news agency, Sanad, captured the harrowing scenes of displaced people fleeing the school after the ground floor was hit by the bombing. The images underscored the immediate and devastating impact of the military action on civilians already displaced by previous hostilities.
In the aftermath of the air strike, Gaza's Civil Defence teams worked tirelessly to recover the bodies of four individuals killed in the attack and provided urgent medical assistance to many injured survivors. The wounded were swiftly transported to al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City for treatment, amid scenes of anguish and despair among relatives and onlookers.
The targeting of Ehab al-Ghussein, Hamas-appointed deputy labour minister, marks a significant escalation in Israel's military campaign against Hamas officials in Gaza. Israeli authorities have not yet commented on the specific rationale behind the strike, but such actions typically aim to disrupt Hamas's leadership and military infrastructure.