UN accuses Israel after latest attack on school in Gaza

Condemnation after 15 civilians killed in artillery strike on refugee camp

Palestinian women from the Sehweel family survey damage to a classroom after a United Nations-run school was reportedly hit by Israeli artillery shells at the Jabaliya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. Photograph: Wissam Nassar/The New York Times

Mark Weiss

Thu, Jul 31, 2014, 01:00

The United Nations has accused Israel of killing at least 15 Gaza civilians who were sheltering in a UN-run school, either because they had fled the fighting or were homeless.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency spokesman Chris Gunnes said his group’s initial assessment indicated that Israeli artillery hit the school in the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza city.

The Israeli army said a group of militants fired at Israeli soldiers from the vicinity, and the troops returned fire. The army spokesman stressed that Israel does not deliberately target civilians. UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack: “It is unjustifiable, and demands accountability and justice.”

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In a separate incident, 17 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in a strike on a crowded market in Gaza city’s Shejaia neighbourhood.

Mounting casualties More than 1,300 Palestinians

, 56 Israeli soldiers and three civilians have been killed in Israel’s “Operation Protective Edge”, now in its 24th day. Three soldiers were killed yesterday in a booby-trapped building over the entrance to a tunnel near the Gaza city of Khan Yunis.

The army destroyed five more Hamas cross-border tunnels and head of army southern command Maj Gen Sami Turgeman said the military were only “days away” from completing their objective of destroying all tunnels.

Differences between Egypt and Hamas continue to hold up ceasefire efforts. A joint Palestinian delegation, comprising representatives from the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, is still waiting to leave for Cairo. Egypt insists that Hamas must first commit to a total cessation of fire. Hamas refuses, saying it must be allowed continue to engage Israeli forces even while truce talks take place.

Complete mission After a meeting of the Israeli security cabinet

, the army was directed to continue forceful action in Gaza and complete the destruction of the tunnels. The most likely scenario appears to be that next week, after Israel completes blowing up tunnels, its army will withdraw, but air strikes will continue until a truce is brokered.

While deadlock continues, conditions for Gaza natives are going from bad to worse.

“We have moved beyond the humanitarian realm. We are overwhelmed . . . There are tens of thousands of people in the streets in Gaza without food, without water, without shelter. That’s why we call on the international community to take deliberate political action to end this ongoing carnage,” said Mr Gunnes.