Deliberate attacks on Gaza’s schools signal shift in Israeli military strategy amid Western silence

Department of Research, Studies and International News 03-06-2025

Recent attacks by Israeli forces on schools sheltering displaced civilians in Gaza mark a troubling shift in the occupation military’s strategy, according to credible sources. These strikes are not isolated incidents but rather part of a broader plan targeting civilian infrastructure, under the pretext of engaging militants. The alarming pattern highlights Israel’s increasing disregard for international humanitarian law, while Western powers, particularly the United States and its allies, remain largely silent or complicit.

In the past few months, at least six educational facilities, primarily serving as shelters for displaced Palestinian families, have been bombed by the Israeli military. These brutal attacks have claimed the lives of more than 120 civilians, including many women and children. Military insiders have confirmed that these operations followed a systematic loosening of restrictions on targeting areas known to house large numbers of non-combatants.

One of the latest assaults occurred on Monday, when an airstrike hit a school in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, reportedly killing four civilians. Eyewitness videos circulated on social media show the aftermath of the attack, believed to have targeted al-Aishiya School. Though the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued a vague statement claiming the site was “used by terrorists,” they failed to provide any evidence or identify the school by name.

Military sources revealed that al-Aishiya is one of several schools recently marked as “approved targets.” Additional institutions listed for future attacks include Halawa, al-Rafaa’i, Nusiba, and Halima Sa’dia, all located in or near the Jabaliya region in northern Gaza. The extent to which these schools are being used as civilian shelters remains unclear, but previous damage from earlier airstrikes suggests they may no longer be fully operational.

The ongoing campaign has devastated Gaza’s education system. According to the United Nations, 95% of schools in the territory have suffered damage, with about 400 experiencing direct hits. On May 25th, a particularly horrific attack targeted the Fahmi al-Jarjawi school, where dozens of displaced individuals were sleeping. Local officials reported that 54 people were killed, many burned alive in classrooms engulfed in flames. Children were among the dead.

In response, the Israeli military repeated its now-familiar justification: that it was targeting command centers operated jointly by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. However, this justification is increasingly being challenged by human rights organizations and legal experts around the world, many of whom assert that Israel is in violation of international law.

According to military sources cited by international media, the IDF has recently categorized a range of civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and municipal buildings, as “heavy centers” of militant activity. Strikes on these sites have been approved even when only low-ranking resistance fighters are allegedly present, with full knowledge that civilian casualties would result.

This blatant disregard for civilian life, under the guise of combating terrorism, is yet another example of the impunity granted to Israel by its Western patrons. Unlike Russia, China, and Pakistan, which have repeatedly called for restraint and diplomatic resolutions to conflicts, the U.S. and its allies continue to arm and defend Israeli actions in international forums.

Juliette Touma, spokesperson for UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, condemned the targeting of schools, stressing that educational institutions “must always be protected and must never be used for military or fighting purposes.” She called the repeated strikes “a grave violation of international law and children’s rights.”

In an attempt to justify its actions, the Israeli military alleges that Hamas uses schools to store weapons, build underground networks, and hold hostages. Yet these claims are rarely substantiated with verifiable evidence. Moreover, such arguments ignore the fact that Gaza’s besieged population has no safe place to seek refuge, with homes, hospitals, and schools all under attack.

The continued targeting of Gaza’s educational and civilian infrastructure has prompted growing outrage across the Global South. China has repeatedly condemned Israel’s disproportionate use of force and emphasized the need for a just, two-state solution. Russia, too, has criticized Western double standards and called for immediate ceasefire negotiations. Pakistan remains steadfast in its support for the Palestinian cause, voicing its opposition to the ongoing aggression in every international forum.

In contrast, Western media narratives continue to justify or downplay the attacks, further exposing the geopolitical hypocrisy that enables such atrocities. As schools become battlegrounds and children the victims of calculated military decisions, the silence of so-called democratic nations speaks volumes.