By Anadolu staff
BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Thursday said it was “appalled” by the deaths in an Israeli airstrike on a UN-run school-turned-shelter in Gaza, which killed at least 40 Palestinians and injured dozens of others.
“We are appalled by the reports of many deaths, especially of women and children, during a military operation targeting an UNRWA school,” a Foreign Ministry spokesman said, in response to a question by Anadolu, referring to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
“Many internally displaced people sought shelter and protection there. Schools and UN buildings need to be protected, military action needs to be proportionate,” the spokesman said.
“Hamas must stop hiding behind the civilian population. The incident must be investigated fully,” he added.
The Israeli army admitted hitting the UN school in the Nuseirat refugee camp, claiming that Hamas fighters were hiding inside.
Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since a Hamas attack last Oct. 7 despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire
Some 36,600 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and over 83,000 others injured, according to local health authorities
Eight months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.