The current death toll of the strike stands at 30 people, with the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza reporting that the majority of casualties were children.

The chairperson of Qatar Foundation has condemned an Israeli airstrike that hit two UN-run schools and killed at least 30 people in the West of Gaza City.

As highlighted in Monday’s statement by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser , the people killed amid the airstrike were using the Hassan Salama and Al Nasr schools for shelter.

An Al Jazeera report added that at least 80% of the casualties were children, according to the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza.

A video widely circulated online by Gaza-based journalist Motasem Dalloul on the day of the airstrike showed a mother looking on in horror as the school burned with her daughter still inside.

“​​In Gaza, desperate, displaced people are taking refuge in schools – but in a grave violation of human rights, schools continue to be targeted,” the Qatari royal said condemning the incident.

Her statement also decried Israel’s flouting of international law by shelling such infrastructures.

The Qatari Minister of State for International Cooperation held a telephone conversation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner-General to discuss the latest developments in the Gaza Strip, which also took place on Monday.

During the phone call, Qatar’s Lolwah Al Khater emphasised to Philippe Lazzarini the Gulf state’s continued support for the agency amid the crises faced by Palestinian civilians in the besieged enclave, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

She also stressed the urgency of reinstating an immediate ceasefire in Gaza after over 300 days of bloodshed.

‘Unforgivable crime’

The latest impact snapshot news release from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that since October 7, at least 85% of Gaza’s schools have either been hit or damaged and require either complete reconstruction or major rehabilitation.

The release added that Israeli shelling has killed at least 9,211 students and 397 education professionals.

During last November’s “One Heart for Palestine” summit in Türkiye, Sheikha Moza criticised UNESCO for its “silence regarding students being killed and schools being demolished in Gaza”.

Prior to the Turkish summit, the Education Above All Foundation and UNRWA’s Al Fakhoora House in Gaza was confirmed destroyed on October 10 by the Foundation amid Israel’s renewed bombing campaign of the area.

“Eradicating education is an unforgivable crime,” the Qatari royal said in the aftermath of the building being destroyed.