Since the onset of its genocidal war on Gaza, Israel's military has repeatedly attacked schools housing Palestinians who were forcibly displaced from their homes.
Between October 6 and December 15 of the previous year, the United Nations and aid agencies reported at least 95 incidents involving attacks on Gaza's school buildings, many of which served as shelters for displaced people.
Of these incidents, 61 occurred in North Gaza, an area under siege by Israeli forces since October 6.
Recent attacks include the bombing of the Zainab al-Wazir, or Halawa school, which killed eight people on Monday.
On December 25, six Palestinians, including a child, were killed in a bombing at a school in Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, and on December 19, thirteen Palestinians, including women and children, were killed in a similar attack at a school-turned-shelter in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City.
According to the UN’s humanitarian agency, 88 percent of school buildings in Gaza (496 out of 564) have been destroyed or severely damaged. Across the region, 69 percent of all structures have suffered destruction or damage.
In December, the UN’s human rights office condemned the "continued pattern of Israeli strikes on schools serving as shelters," highlighting the high number of fatalities resulting from these attacks. It warned that targeting locations known to shelter civilians could lead to excessive civilian casualties and potentially constitute violations of international humanitarian law.
Mahmoud Basel of Gaza’s Civil Defence criticized global inaction as Israel continues to strike schools used as shelters. "Attacking and targeting the schools are ongoing crimes committed by the Israeli forces. The entire world is watching silently as our shelters and schools, which host displaced people, are being targeted," he stated.
Israel has claimed that it was targeting Hamas fighters inside the schools but has not provided evidence to support these claims.