Israeli military forces shelled a United Nations-operated school in Gaza on Friday, resulting in multiple casualties among displaced Palestinians gathered for a wedding celebration. The attack on Gaza Martyrs School in the Tuffah neighborhood east of Gaza City killed at least six civilians, including a five-month-old infant, and wounded several others according to Palestinian emergency services.
Eyewitness accounts describe an Israeli tank advancing into the area and targeting the school’s second floor where families had assembled. Medical responders reported being deliberately blocked from accessing the scene for over two hours by Israeli forces, significantly delaying victim evacuation efforts. The Palestinian civil emergency service confirmed they only recovered bodies after the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs intervened with Israeli authorities.
This incident represents one of hundreds of alleged ceasefire violations since the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement took effect on October 10. Gaza’s health ministry reports at least 395 Palestinian fatalities from Israeli military actions during this period. The bombing occurred as US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior officials prepared for Miami negotiations regarding the next phase of the Gaza agreement, which anticipates greater challenges including international stabilization forces, technocratic governance establishment, Hamas disarmament, and Israeli territorial withdrawal.
Hamas political member Bassem Naim emphasized public expectations for these talks to end ‘Israeli lawlessness’ and ensure compliance with existing agreements. The broader conflict has resulted in over 70,660 Palestinian fatalities according to Gaza health authorities, with approximately half being women and children.