Israel has no 'intent' to end war: World reacts to Gaza school massacre

An Israeli air strike hit a school-turned-shelter in Gaza early on Saturday, killing at least 100 people, Palestinian health authorities said, in one of the deadliest strikes in the 10-month-old Israeli war on Gaza.

The Israeli military acknowledged it targeted the Tabeen school in central Gaza City, claiming it hit a Hamas command center within the school. It did not provide evidence and denied the death toll given by Palestinian officials.

Here are some reactions to the deadly attack:

Türkiye

Israel has committed a “new crime against humanity” by killing over 100 civilians who had taken refuge in a school in the Daraj neighbourhood of Gaza City, the Turkish Foreign Ministry has said.

“This attack demonstrated once again that the Netanyahu government intends to sabotage the negotiations for a permanent ceasefire,” a ministry statement said.

“International actors who do not take steps to stop Israel are complicit in Israel's crimes,” it added.

Palestinian presidency

The Palestinian presidency has held the US government responsible for Israel’s attack on a school sheltering displaced Palestinians in central Gaza.

In a statement, Nabih Abu Rudeineh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Presidency, condemned the attack and held the US administration “responsible for the massacre due to its financial, military, and political support for Israel,” according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Fatah spokesperson Munther al Hayek said the attack is "a heinous crime against displaced civilians" and called on the international community to intervene immediately.

Hamas

Hamas has denounced the "dangerous escalation" in Gaza, which came after international mediators invited the warring sides to resume next Thursday's talks towards a long-sought ceasefire and hostage-release deal.

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas also issued a statement condemning the “massacre,” calling it "a severe crime against humanity.”

Jordan

Jordan's foreign ministry said the timing was an indication of Israel's efforts to "obstruct and thwart" the peace push.

Qatar

One of the mediators, Qatar, called for an "urgent international investigation" into strikes on school shelters.

EU

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has expressed horror at a deadly strike by Israel on a school housing displaced people in Gaza.

"Horrified by images from a sheltering school in Gaza hit by an Israeli strike, with reportedly dozens of Palestinian victims. At least 10 schools were targeted in the last weeks. There's no justification for these massacres," Borrell wrote on X.

UN

An independent, UN-appointed rights expert accused Israel of committing "genocide" in its Gaza war after an Israeli strike targeting a school.

"Israel is genociding the Palestinians one neighbourhood at a time, one hospital at a time, one school at a time, one refugee camp at a time, one safe zone at a time," Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the rights situation in the Palestinian territories, said on social media platform X.

Israel was carrying out such strikes against Palestinians using "US and European weapons", Albanese said.

UNRWA

Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), has condemned the recent Israeli bombing of a school in Gaza.

"Another day of horror in Gaza... Another school hit with reports of dozens of Palestinian killed among them women, children and older people," said the UN official in a brief statement on his X account.

OIC

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) today condemned, in the strongest terms, the horrific massacre that targeted the Al-Tabi'een school in the Daraj neighbourhood of Gaza City.

In a press statement, the OIC considered this crime an extension of the brutal massacres and genocide committed by the occupation for more than ten months in Gaza, in flagrant violation of international law, the orders of the International Court of Justice and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Foreign Ministry also condemned the Israeli occupation forces' attack on the Tabaeen School.

In a statement, the ministry emphasized the “urgent need to halt the massacres in Gaza,” condemning “the international community's inaction in holding Israel accountable for its crimes.”

Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the Israeli bombing of the school an “open aggression.”

"We once again reiterate our demand that the Israeli leadership and security forces be brought to justice for the genocide of Palestinians and war crimes committed in Palestine," Sharif said.

Iraq

Iraq also condemned the Israeli attack. “These ongoing assaults on civilians constitute a blatant violation of international norms and conventions,” an Iraqi Foreign Ministry statement said.

“They also demonstrate Israel's disregard for global efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza,” it added.

The ministry urged the international community, particularly the Islamic world, to “take a firm stance to halt the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians.”

Egypt

In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and accused Tel Aviv of a “lack of genuine intent” to end the ongoing war.

The ministry said that the attack is a “blatant disregard for international and humanitarian law".

“The persistent large-scale attacks and the high civilian casualties increase whenever efforts to negotiate a ceasefire intensify,” it added.

United Kingdom

Foreign Minister David Lammy on Saturday said that Britain was "appalled" at Israel's deadly air strike on a school in Gaza and called for "an immediate ceasefire".

"Appalled by the Israeli Military strike on al-Tabeen school and the tragic loss of life," Lammy wrote on X, adding: "We need an immediate ceasefire to protect civilians, free all hostages, and end restrictions on aid."

France

France has said it condemned "in the firmest of terms" an Israeli strike on a religious school housing displaced people in Gaza.

"For several weeks, school buildings have been repeatedly targeted, with an intolerable number of civilian victims," the French foreign ministry said.

"Israel must respect international humanitarian law," it added.

US

The White House said it was "deeply concerned" about an Israeli air strike on a Gaza City school compound that, according to local health officials, killed around 100 people.

Spain

Spain condemned Israel’s latest deadly bombing of a school in Gaza on Saturday, which left at least 100 people dead.

“We demand, once again, full compliance with the provisional measures imposed by the International Court of Justice and the protection of the civilian population,” Spain’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.