Al-Fakhoora school airstrikes

{{Short description|Airstrike on school in Jabalia Refugee Camp}}

{{For|the 2009 Israeli attack on the same school|Al-Fakhura school incident}}

{{pp-extended|small=yes}}

{{Infobox civilian attack

| title = 2023 al-Fakhoora school airstrikes

| partof = the Jabalia refugee camp airstrikes during the Gaza war and genocide

| map = {{location map

| Israel gaza

| coordinates = {{coord|31.5377|N|34.498|E|display=title}}

| label = Al-Fakhoora

| marksize = 8

| caption =

| border = none

| float = center

}}

| location = Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip

| target = al-Fakhoora school

| date = {{bulleted list|4 November 2023|18 November 2023}}

| map_caption = Location within the Gaza Strip

| time =

| timezone =

| type = Airstrike

| fatalities = 65+

| injuries = 70+

| perps = {{flag|Israel}}

| weapons =

}}

{{Campaignbox Gaza war}}

Israel conducted two airstrikes on the al-Fakhoora school in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, which was being used as a shelter by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNRWA).{{cite web | url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/4/israeli-strikes-target-schools-hospitals-mosques-on-gaza | title=Israel ramps up attacks in Gaza, striking schools, hospitals and mosques | access-date=2023-11-05 | archive-date=2023-11-05 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105045037/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/4/israeli-strikes-target-schools-hospitals-mosques-on-gaza | url-status=live |work=Al jazeera }} On 4 November 2023, an Israeli airstrike killed at least 15 people and injured 70.{{cite web | url=https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/israeli-airstrike-on-school-kills-15-injures-70-at-un-refugee-camp | title=Israeli airstrike on school kills 15, injures 70 at UN refugee camp | website=Daily Sabah | date=4 November 2023 | access-date=5 November 2023 | archive-date=5 November 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105055833/https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/israeli-airstrike-on-school-kills-15-injures-70-at-un-refugee-camp | url-status=live }}

An Israeli missile fell on al-Fukhora school in the morning of 4 November, when thousands of people were living in the school at the time of the attack.{{cite web | url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/israeli-strike-on-un-run-school-in-gaza-kills-at-least-15/7yo41lkik | title=Arab leaders urge ceasefire to end Gaza 'madness'. US says it would allow Hamas to regroup | date=5 November 2023 | website=SBS World News | access-date=5 November 2023 | archive-date=4 November 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104205650/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/israeli-strike-on-un-run-school-in-gaza-kills-at-least-15/7yo41lkik | url-status=live }} At least 15 people were killed and 70 injured in the attack. Children are also among the dead. The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that dozens more were injured. Arab leaders publicly pressed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to ensure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-arab-leaders-meet-over-gaza-palestinian-deaths-mount-2023-11-03/|title=Arab leaders press Blinken for Gaza cease-fire after school blasts|first1=Nidal|last1=al-Mughrabi|first2=Simon|last2=Lewis|first3=Suleiman|last3=Al-Khalidi|date=4 November 2023|website=Reuters|access-date=2023-11-05|archive-date=2023-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105010423/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-arab-leaders-meet-over-gaza-palestinian-deaths-mount-2023-11-03/|url-status=live}} However, Blinken pushed back, saying the ceasefire would only allow Hamas to regroup.

A second airstrike on the school occurred in the early hours of the morning on 18 November. Journalists on the scene reported dead bodies everywhere, suggesting the strike may have been an Israeli message to civilians to flee to the southern Gaza Strip.{{cite web |title=Dozens killed as Israeli forces attack two schools in northern Gaza |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/18/israeli-forces-strike-al-fakhoora-school-in-northern-gaza |website=Al Jazeera |access-date=18 November 2023 |archive-date=18 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118123622/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/18/israeli-forces-strike-al-fakhoora-school-in-northern-gaza |url-status=live }} A video clip surfacing following what has been described as a "massacre" depicts a man walking through several rooms where dozens of corpses can be seen, and distress can be heard throughout the school.{{cite web |title=تقديرات بسقوط 200 شهيد.. مجزرة جديدة في مدرسة الفاخورة بغزة |trans-title=Estimates of 200 martyrs...a new massacre at Al-Fakhoura School in Gaza |url=https://www.aljazeera.net/news/2023/11/18/%d8%aa%d9%82%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a8%d8%b3%d9%82%d9%88%d8%b7-200-%d8%b4%d9%87%d9%8a%d8%af-%d9%85%d8%ac%d8%b2%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%ac%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%af%d8%a9-%d9%81%d9%8a |work=Aljazeera |language=ar |access-date=2023-11-19 |archive-date=2023-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208172535/https://www.aljazeera.net/amp/news/2023/11/18/%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D8%B3%D9%82%D9%88%D8%B7-200-%D8%B4%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%AC%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A |url-status=live }} The second strike killed at least 50 people.{{cite web |title=Hamas Health Ministry Says More Than 80 Dead In Strikes On Refugee Camp |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/hamas-health-ministry-says-at-least-50-dead-in-bombing-of-un-school-314e84d0 |website=Barron's |publisher=Agence France Presse |access-date=18 November 2023 |archive-date=18 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118210353/https://www.barrons.com/news/hamas-health-ministry-says-at-least-50-dead-in-bombing-of-un-school-314e84d0 |url-status=live }} Martin Griffiths stated the strike was "tragic news" and that "Shelters are a place for safety. Schools are a place for learning." Tamara Alrifai, a spokesperson for UNRWA, stated, "What we're seeing is another one of these horrific incidents, where civilians, people who sought shelter in a protected UN building, are paying the price." The IDF stated it had killed multiple "terrorists."{{cite news |last1=McDaniel |first1=Justine |title=After school bombing, IDF says it killed 'terrorists' in Jabalya |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/11/18/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-palestine/#link-YSYBM3IU5VDNTP6Y3ZGPPDOKI4 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=18 November 2023 |archive-date=20 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120181806/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/11/18/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-palestine/#link-YSYBM3IU5VDNTP6Y3ZGPPDOKI4 |url-status=live }} Philippe Lazzarini stated, "These attacks cannot become commonplace."{{cite web |title=UN Palestinian Refugee Agency Condemns 'Horrifying' School Attacks |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/un-palestinian-refugee-agency-condemns-horrifying-school-attacks-04d6d9d8?refsec=topics_afp-news |website=Barron's |publisher=Agence France Presse |access-date=18 November 2023 |archive-date=18 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118184838/https://www.barrons.com/news/un-palestinian-refugee-agency-condemns-horrifying-school-attacks-04d6d9d8?refsec=topics_afp-news |url-status=live }} The Qatar Foreign Ministry stated that "an urgent international investigation and independent investigators to probe Israel's targeting of schools and hospitals in Gaza" were needed.{{cite web |title=Qatar denounces Israeli attack on Gaza school |url=https://aje.io/vx4bwb?update=2496687 |website=Al Jazeera |access-date=18 November 2023 |archive-date=23 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223204813/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/11/18/israel-hamas-war-live-conditions-worsen-as-another-baby-dies-at-al-shifa?update=2496687 |url-status=live }}