White House: Deadly strike on Gaza school 'underscores urgency' for cease-fire

The White House is “deeply concerned” about reports of civilian deaths in Gaza related to Israel striking a school in Gaza City that killed at least 80 people, saying the strike “underscores the urgency of a ceasefire.”  

“We are deeply concerned about reports of civilian casualties in Gaza following a strike by the Israel Defense Forces on a compound that included a school,” NSC spokesperson Sean Savett wrote in a statement to The Hill. “We are in touch with our Israeli counterparts, who have said they targeted senior Hamas officials, and we are asking for further details.

“This underscores the urgency of a ceasefire and hostage deal, which we continue to work tirelessly to achieve,” Savett added. 

Israel has claimed that the school was a command center for Hamas and that the strike killed Hamas and Islamic Jihad senior militants. 

“Based on Israeli intelligence, approx. 20 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants, including senior commanders, were operating from the compound struck at the Al-Tabaeen school, using it to carry out terrorist attacks,” Nadav Shoshani, a spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) wrote.

The U.S. is aware that Hamas has used schools in the past, but Israel must still work to minimize civilian harm, Savett added.

“We know Hamas has been using schools as locations to gather and operate out of, but we have also said repeatedly and consistently that Israel must take measures to minimize civilian harm,” he wrote. 

At least 11 women and children are among those killed by Israel’s strike on the school, according to a statement provided by the Gaza Civil Defense Force to the Washington Post. 

A spokesperson for the Civil Defense first responders, who operate under the Hamas-run government, told the AP that three missiles hit the school and mosque in the early hours of Saturday morning. 

The school is also holding about 6,000 displaced people seeking shelter. 

Israel struck the school days after agreeing to a push by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar for Israel and Hamas to continue negotiations to secure a cease-fire and the release of hostages. The U.S. insists that the deal is "as close" as it's ever been.

“There is a good proposal before both sides, and they need to both accept that proposal so we can get this in place,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. “We are as close as we think we have ever been.”

Both Egypt and Qatar, the two other mediators, also condemned the Israeli strike, with Egypt saying the strike was “clear evidence of the Israeli’s side’s lack of political will to end this brutal war.”  

“The Arab Republic of Egypt condemned in the strongest terms the bombing by Israel of the "Al-Tabi'in" School, which was sheltering displaced persons in the Al-Daraj neighborhood in eastern Gaza City, resulting in the killing of more than 100 Palestinian citizens and injured dozens more,” the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. 

“Egypt considered the continued perpetration of these large-scale crimes, and the deliberate killing of such large numbers of unarmed civilians whenever mediators intensify efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as clear evidence of the Israeli side's lack of political will to end this brutal war,” the ministry continued. 

Qatar called the strike a “horrific massacre” and a “flagrant infringement of the fundamental precepts of international humanitarian law.”

“The State of Qatar reiterates its call for conducting an urgent international investigation by dispatching independent UN investigators to probe the ongoing targeting by Israeli occupation forces of schools and shelters for displaced people,” the statement continues.

On Friday, Kirby also forcefully denounced Israel’s polarizing finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, for a lengthy statement calling the new calls for negotiations a "surrender to Hamas."

Kirby's statement reflects a growing frustration with Israel as President Biden seeks to broker a cease-fire. The administration has said significant concessions are required from Hamas and Israel.