Israeli Attack Death Toll To UN School Increases To 40, UNRWA Says Accommodates 6,000 Refugees

Illustration of UNRWA facilities affected by Israeli attacks. (Twitter/@UNRWA)

JAKARTA - Israel's death toll on UN schools increased to 40, with refugee agencies saying there were thousands of refugees there when the attacks were carried out without warning.

At least 40 people died in airstrikes against UNRWA schools (BP Aid and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East) in Nuseirat, medical officers at the Syuhada Al-Aqsa Hospital said.

This figure is down from the previous number of 45 people, after the hospital clarified, there were two incidents in Nuseirat, an attack on a hospital and another in a residence that killed five people.

The hospital, the main hospital still operating in the area, said 52 people killed in an Israeli attack were taken to its facility on Thursday, reported by CNN June 7.

Israel has admitted to carrying out the attack, saying it is targeting "20 to 30 Hamas militants and Islamic Jihad" at the site.

Meanwhile, UNRWA said Thursday was a "terrible day" after dozens of people were killed in Israeli airstrikes against schools in central Gaza. It was managed by UNRWA before closing at the start of the war

UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini said the school houses 6,000 refugees when hit without any prior warning to UNRWA or people living there.

"The claim that armed groups may be in shelters is very surprising. But we cannot verify this claim," he wrote in X.

"Attacking, targeting or using UN buildings for military purposes is a blatant waiver of international humanitarian law," Lazzarini criticized.

"Targeting UN buildings or using them for military purposes cannot be a new norm," he added.

UNRWA's Communications Director told CNN it could not confirm Israel's report that Hamas fighters had used the school as headquarters.

"We remind all parties involved in the conflict, schools and other UN places should not be used for military or combat purposes", saidUR Touma.

"BP facilities must be protected at all times," he said.

Touma added that more than 170 UNRWA buildings had been hit since October 7 and "has resulted in the killing of more than 450 refugees in these facilities."

Separately, health authorities in Gaza announced on Thursday that the death toll of Palestinians as a result of Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023 has increased to 36,654 people, most of whom are children and women. Meanwhile, the number of injured victims so far has reached 83,309 people, as quoted from WAFA.