Israel-Gaza war: Jabalia refugee camp hit a third time as UN warns of potential "war crimes"
Gaza City, Gaza - Israel hit Gaza's largest refugee camp for a third day in a row Thursday, in a continued assault prompting UN rights officials to warn that targeting densely populated residential areas "could amount to war crimes."
At least 29 people were reportedly killed in what Al Jazeera said was the bombing of a school in the Jabalia camp, which has been pulverized by three days of airstrikes.
AFP witnessed extensive damage at the scene on Wednesday, with people frantically clawing through rubble to extract bloodied casualties.
Israel said its fighter jets had carried out the strike, targeting "a Hamas command and control complex" and "eliminating" an undefined number of militants of the organization that carried out the large-scale assault in Israel on October 7, causing over 1,400 deaths and the taking of some 242 hostages.
Rescuers said "whole families" had died in Jabalia, with Gaza's health ministry giving a provisional death toll of 195. Seven hostages were also killed in the strikes, according to Hamas.
According to the latest tabulation, more than 9,000 people have been killed in Israel's campaign so far, mostly women and children. The strip's entire health system is either close to or already in full collapse, with almost half of all hospitals out of commission, and basic necessities are running out.
UN issues stark warning as countries cut off ties to Israel
The UN decried Israel's bombings on Wednesday, joining a chorus of international condemnation from countries such as Bolivia and Bahrain, which both severed diplomatic ties in protest.
Citing "the high number of civilian casualties" and scale of destruction, the UN's top human rights body said it had "serious concerns that these are disproportionate attacks that could amount to war crimes."
Jordan also recalled its ambassador to Israel "to condemn the Israeli war that is killing innocent people in Gaza".
Meanwhile, Egypt will help evacuate "about 7,000" foreigners and dual nationals from Gaza, the foreign ministry said, with officials saying some 400 people were expected to cross Thursday. Reports on the ground, however, speak of a disorganized and slow effort, with families broken up and many turned away.
The Rafah border crossing opened Wednesday first time since the war began, with a total of 361 foreigners and dual nationals entering Egypt.
Among them were some US citizens, per State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, who didn't specify an exact number.
Cover photo: REUTERS