Civilians Sheltering at School in Gaza Allegedly Shot Dead by Israel

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israeli forces reportedly shot dead women and children sheltering at a school near camp Jabalia in northern Gaza, Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. 

At least fifteen decomposing and bullet-riddled bodies were found piled up at the Shadia Abu Ghazala School west of the Jabalia refugee camp, in an area called Al-Faluja. The school was being used as a shelter by Palestinians forcibly displaced by Israeli bombardments. 

Witnesses and relatives of the victims said they were shot at point-blank by Israel’s troops. The victims were reportedly killed overnight Tuesday-Wednesday, but this could not be confirmed.

Distressing footage of the bodies was obtained by Al Jazeera and shared on social media.

Earlier on Wednesday, Israel shelled the UN-run Abu Hussein primary school for boys in Jabalia, killing and wounding dozens of people.

Israel has continuously targeted schools and hospitals, sheltering tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians.

Entire families and multi-story buildings have been wiped out in Israeli airstrikes, and most of the 18,600 people killed since Oct. 7 are women and children.

There have been international calls to bring Israel to justice over its ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned the "execution-style" killings of civilians in Gaza by Israeli forces.

"Because the Biden administration stands almost alone on the world stage in defending and enabling the far-right Israeli government’s campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza, administration officials must respond to the reported execution-style massacre of women, children, and babies seeking refuge in a school in Gaza," CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper said in a statement.

"Our nation must stop enabling what even President Biden privately admits is the "indiscriminate" targeting of innocent Palestinians."

Meanwhile, Stephane Dujarric, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesperson admitted to have not received the reports on the execution and called for a UN investigation.

AL JAZEERA | NEW ARAB | SITA PLANASARI

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