HRW: Israel Hit 500 Gaza Schools Sheltering Displaced

The HRW report highlights the Israeli military’s alleged establishment of a special strike unit tasked with identifying and bombing schools it termed “centers of gravity.” According to Israeli media cited in the report, this unit operated under the assumption that Hamas fighters were hiding among civilians. However, HRW said most of these claims lacked supporting evidence.

Among the incidents cited was a July 27, 2024 strike on Khadija Girls School in Deir al-Balah, which killed at least 15 people. The school was sheltering approximately 4,000 displaced persons and showed no signs of military presence. Another airstrike on September 21, 2024 hit the Zeitoun School in Gaza City, killing 34 people, mostly women and children, and wounding dozens more. In both cases, U.S.-supplied GBU-39 munitions were reportedly used.

HRW emphasized that these attacks denied civilians safe refuge, severely disrupted access to education, and would take years and extensive resources to repair.

Legal Ramifications And U.S. Responsibility

HRW stated that the targeting of shelters and educational institutions constituted clear violations of international humanitarian law. The organization urged the U.S. to immediately suspend all weapons transfers to Israel, warning that continued support could make Washington complicit in war crimes.

The group further criticized the Israeli army for ignoring its repeated requests for clarification regarding the alleged military presence at targeted schools. HRW also reiterated that even if combatants were present, international law requires all feasible precautions to avoid harm to civilians.

HRW called on governments to impose arms embargoes on Israel and adopt urgent measures to enforce the UN Genocide Convention. The report concluded by stating that the deliberate targeting of displaced persons in schools represents a grave escalation in the humanitarian toll of the Gaza conflict.