WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Overnight, an Israeli airstrike killed dozens of Palestinians sheltering at a U.N. school. Israel’s government says the strike targeted up to 30 Hamas militants using the school as a compound for attacks. Israeli officials are pledging to release the names of the militants killed in the strike.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency says roughly 6,000 civilians were sheltering in the school at the time of the attack.
UNRWA spokesperson, Juliette Touma, says the agency cannot verify Israel’s claim that Hamas was sheltering in the school and says U.N. lawyers are requesting more information.
“Too many times during this war there has been a blatant disregard to international law and that is unacceptable," said Touma.
Gaza officials say at least 40 were killed in the blast, 14 of them children.
State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, says the Biden administration is awaiting more information from the IDF about the strike including the names of the Hamas militants killed.
"We're pressing the IDF and Israel to be completely transparent,” said Miller.
When asked if the incident violates the president’s “redline,” Miller said Israel has yet to launch a large-scale ground invasion in the Rafah area.
Miller says the administration is still working to strike a cease-fire deal.
This week, the families of October 7th hostages, visited Washington to push the Israeli proposal on the table.
“It’s time, after eight grueling months, to have him back home,” said Ronen Neutra, dad of hostage Omer Neutra, a U.S.- Israeli IDF soldier who was kidnapped while responding to Hamas militants October 7th.
The administration says Hamas has yet to agree to the terms.
