A harrowing video showing a five-year-old Palestinian girl fleeing a school shelter engulfed in flames after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City circulated widely on social media Monday. The girl, Ward Al-Sheikh Khalil, survived after being rescued from the rubble by emergency crews, but six of her family members were killed and two remain in critical condition.
The airstrike hit Fahmi Al-Jarjawi School early Monday, setting tents ablaze where displaced civilians had sought refuge. Ward’s five siblings and mother were killed while sheltering there. Her father and brother are hospitalized in critical condition.
Paramedic Hussein Mohsen described the rescue, recalling how Ward was found under scorching rubble, unconscious except for a moving foot. Rescue teams faced challenges due to limited equipment and severe shortages of body bags, often placing multiple bodies in one.
Health officials confirmed 36 deaths from the strike, including many women and children. Eyewitnesses described scenes of devastation and burning bodies.
Israel’s military said the school was targeted because it was allegedly used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants for planning attacks, though no evidence was provided. The Israeli Defense Forces stated steps were taken to minimize civilian harm.
Meanwhile, Palestinian militants fired projectiles towards Israel, most of which were intercepted or fell short.
The conflict has displaced thousands in Gaza, with ongoing humanitarian challenges, including disputes over aid delivery. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s executive director resigned recently, citing concerns over maintaining humanitarian principles amid the crisis.
Since the conflict’s escalation in October 2023, over 53,000 people in Gaza have died, many of them civilians, as the Israeli military campaign continues.
Source: Swifteradio.com
