Shadia Abu Ghazala School massacre

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Shadia Abu Ghazala School massacre
Part of the Gaza war and genocide
Abu Ghazala School
Location	Al-Faluja area, west of the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip near the Indonesia Hospital
Date	13 December 2023
Target	Shadia Abu Ghazala School
Attack type	Massacre
Deaths	15+ civilians
Perpetrators	Israel Defense Forces

On 13 December 2023, the bodies of fifteen Palestinians were discovered at the Shadia Abu Ghazala School, west of Jabalia refugee camp in Al-Faluja, Gaza Strip. The school had been used as a shelter and had been surrounded by the Israeli military for several days. ^{[1] [2]} Images released several days after showed damage to the school's interior. ^[3]

Witnesses

Eyewitnesses reported the victims had been shot and killed point-blank by Israeli soldiers. ^{[4] [5]} A woman stated, "They took all men, then entered classrooms and opened fire on a woman and all the children with her." ^[6]

A grandfather of some of the victims stated that IDF soldiers had entered the school and began shooting indiscriminately, stating, "They are my children and grandchildren. Why did they shoot them in front of my eyes?" ^[7]

The brother of one of the victims stated that when he returned to the scene, he found the bodies of his family shot at point-blank range, "swollen and filled with worms". ^[8]

Reactions

The Euro-Med Monitor stated the victims were subjected to "field executions" while being questioned. ^[9] The Council on American-Islamic Relations called on the Biden administration to respond to reports of the massacre. ^[10]

References

1. "Women, children & babies killed "execution-style" in Gaza School". Jordan News. 13 December 2023. Archived from the original on 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
2. Atwood, Jordan (15 December 2023). "Gaza in mourning: Unraveling the truth behind the Shadia Abu Ghazala school tragedy". Nation of Change. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
3. "Damage at Shadia Abu Ghazaleh school following an Israeli raid, in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip". The Denver Gazette. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
4. "Bodies of women, children, babies 'shot dead by Israeli forces' found in Gaza school". The New Arab. 13 December 2023. Archived from the original on 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
5. Warah, Leila (14 December 2023). "Gaza: Civilians Killed Execution-Style and Children Sleeping in the Rain". Truthout . Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
6. "Footage shows bodies piled up after Israeli attack on Gaza school". YouTube. Al Jazeera. 13 December 2023. Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
7. Sabah, Abed. "Gaza grandfather describes killing of his family by Israeli soldiers". Reuters. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
8. Zaanin, Mohamed. "Classroom massacre: Survivors say Israel executed innocents in Gaza school". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 26 December 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
9. "Israel turns schools into military centres, conducting field executions and mass killings". Euro-Med Monitor. Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
10. "CAIR Calls on Biden Admin to Respond to Alleged Israeli 'Execution-Style' Massacre of Women, Children and Babies Seeking Refuge in Gaza School". CAIR. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.