UN Schools Turned Shelters Bombed in Shati Camp

Israeli air strikes have hit two UNRWA-run schools that had been converted into shelters for displaced Palestinians in the Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City. The bombings came only minutes after the Israeli army issued forced evacuation threats, according to witnesses on the ground. People inside the schools scrambled to escape with no safe destination, fearing the buildings would collapse.

Residents described scenes of panic as families who had already lost their homes to earlier strikes fled once more, carrying children and whatever belongings they could hold. These schools had been serving as one of the last refuges for thousands of displaced people who had no other shelter.

Rising Death Toll Among Aid Seekers in Central Gaza

Separately, Israeli forces struck a group of Palestinians who had gathered for aid distribution in central Gaza. Initial reports said two were killed; local journalists now confirm the death toll has risen to four, with at least three more wounded.

The incident adds to a growing list of attacks on people trying to obtain food, water and basic supplies amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. Witnesses said the crowd scattered in terror as explosions hit the area.

New Evacuation Threats Across Gaza City

On the same day, Israel issued several new forced evacuation threats for facilities in or near Gaza City. The first targeted al-Rayas residential block, a cluster of four high-rise buildings in the city. The second warned two schools in Shati refugee camp, including those later bombed.

Residents say such warnings often give them only minutes to flee. “We have nowhere left to run,” one displaced man told a local reporter. “Everywhere is being bombed.”

These tactics, repeated throughout the ongoing invasion, have displaced tens of thousands more Palestinians who were already seeking safety from earlier rounds of fighting.

Pattern of Last-Minute Warnings

Humanitarian workers and residents note a pattern: evacuation threats issued shortly before air strikes, with no guaranteed safe corridors or shelters. Families often leave behind elderly relatives, the injured, or belongings because the time to escape is so short.

Critics warn that such practices amount to collective punishment. International organisations have called for an immediate halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure, especially sites known to house displaced populations.

WHO Appeals for Medical Evacuation of Gaza Patients

The World Health Organization has renewed its plea for international help to evacuate critically ill patients from Gaza. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted on X that 15,000 people, including 3,800 children, urgently need specialised care abroad.

“The urgent problem we face is that too few countries are willing to receive these patients,” he wrote. He added that 700 of them, including 140 children, have already died while waiting. WHO also urged Israel to allow patients from Gaza to receive treatment in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, where hospitals are closer and able to handle many cases.

Worsening Humanitarian Situation

The Gaza City attacks and repeated strikes on schools, homes and aid seekers deepen an already dire humanitarian situation. Electricity is scarce, hospitals are overwhelmed, and food supplies are dwindling. Displaced families are moving multiple times as shelters come under fire.

Aid agencies say the continued targeting of civilian infrastructure violates basic principles of international law. They warn of a public health catastrophe if fuel, medical supplies and evacuation routes are not secured immediately.

Broader Regional and Political Context

The escalation comes as international diplomatic efforts falter. In Washington, a high-profile dinner between former US President Donald Trump, Qatari officials and real-estate executive Steve Witkoff reportedly discussed a possible Qatar security arrangement and ongoing Israel-Hamas negotiations. A US administration official told reporters the dinner went “great” but acknowledged that some in Washington were blindsided by Israeli strikes that killed Hamas negotiators.

Despite frustration within parts of the administration, the White House has maintained its position of not penalising Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for recent actions. Analysts say this stance reduces leverage over Israel’s military campaign.

.@WHO is doing all we can to alleviate suffering, and evacuate those who need urgent medical care outside Gaza.

The urgent problem we face is that too few countries are willing to receive them.

We call for countries to open their arms to these critically ill patients.

We call… pic.twitter.com/zAlknjHPj4

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) September 13, 2025

Growing Alarm Over Civilian Safety

International observers and rights groups have condemned the bombing of shelters and attacks on aid seekers. They urge all parties to protect civilians and allow safe access to food, water and medical care. Calls for a ceasefire and for safe corridors are growing louder as the number of displaced rises.

For civilians in Gaza City, however, life remains defined by flight and fear. Every new warning triggers another round of chaos. As one woman sheltering at Shati camp put it: “We run from our homes to the schools. Then they bomb the schools.”