Ankara condemns Israeli attack on UN-run school in Gaza

ANKARA

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the Israeli attack on a U.N. school in Gaza, denouncing it as a "ruthless assault that claimed the lives of dozens of innocent Palestinian children."

The statement from Ankara asserted that the Israeli attack provides further evidence of a "deliberate and targeted campaign against civilians, particularly children," in Gaza.

The ministry expressed deep concern over the escalating civilian casualties. "The number of women and children who lost their lives at the hands of Israel in Gaza over the last five weeks is a source of shame for humanity," the statement read.

Türkiye called on the international community to "no longer turn a blind eye" to what it deemed as Israel's blatant disregard for international law and basic human values.

"It is essential that an unconditional and permanent ceasefire should be immediately declared in Gaza. We call on every conscientious member of the international community to take the necessary steps in this direction," it said.

At least 50 people were killed in a dawn attack on a U.N.-run school in the Jabalia camp, and a strike on another building there killed 32 members of a single family – 19 of them children – officials from the Hamas-run health ministry told AFP.

“Shelters are a place for safety. Schools are a place for learning. Tragic news of the children, women and men killed while sheltering at al-Fakhouri school in northern Gaza,” U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said on X. “Civilians cannot and should not have to bear this any longer.”