Israeli strike kills 20 in Gaza school housing displaced people, health authorities say
GAZA CITY: An Israeli strike on a school housing displaced people in Gaza killed at least 20 people and injured dozens, local authorities told Reuters early on Monday.
Israel stepped up its military operations in the enclave in early May, saying it is seeking to eliminate Hamas' military and governing capabilities and bring back the remaining hostages who were seized in October 2023.
Medics said the dozens of casualties in the strike on the school, in the Daraj neighbourhood of Gaza City, included women and children.
Some of the bodies were badly burned according to images circulating on social media, which Reuters could not immediately verify.
There was no immediate comment by the Israeli military.
Despite mounting international pressure that pushed Israel to lift a blockade on aid supplies in the face of warnings of looming famine, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that Israel would control the whole of Gaza.
Israel has taken control of around 77% of the enclave either through its ground forces or evacuation orders and bombardments that keep residents away from their homes, Gaza's media office said.
The Israeli campaign, triggered after Hamas Islamist militants attacked Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, has devastated Gaza and pushed nearly all of its two million residents from their homes.
The offensive has killed more than 53,000 people, many of them civilians, according to Gaza health authorities.
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Asharq Al-Awsat
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Who Remains from the Symbols of October 7?
On October 7, 2023, Hamas-affiliated media accounts posted a video showing several of the group's prominent leaders outside Gaza falling into a 'prostration of thanks' as they watched on television the start of the unprecedented assault on Israel -- what Hamas called 'Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.' The video, recorded in a spacious office, appeared to show Hamas's top brass monitoring an event they clearly anticipated. Figures like Ismail Haniyeh, then head of the political bureau; his deputy, Saleh al-Arouri; and senior leaders Khaled Meshaal and Khalil al-Hayya were all seen in the footage. At the time, the scene fueled speculation about whether the political leadership had prior knowledge or direct involvement in planning the attack. Yet, according to Hamas sources who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat, many of those in the video were unaware of the operation's exact timing or scope. They knew the Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, were preparing a preemptive strike in response to Israeli plans for a limited military campaign -- but the leaders abroad had not been briefed on the final execution. The sources revealed that the video was filmed in Hamas's office in Türkiye, where leaders were preparing to travel to Iraq, part of a broader diplomatic initiative. The delegation, which had recently visited Lebanon, was set to engage with other Arab and Islamic countries, including Iran, Kuwait, and Oman, in an effort to widen Hamas's political footprint. This diplomatic offensive was seen by some in the Palestinian Authority as an attempt to position Hamas as an alternative to the PA and the PLO --an accusation the group denied. However, without the knowledge of most of the political wing, Hamas's military leadership in Gaza had a different agenda -one that was kept tightly guarded and may have contributed to the operation's initial success. In the early hours of the attack, leaders outside Gaza scrambled to contact counterparts in the Strip, asking, 'What's happening?' Some of those asked reportedly responded with confusion or claimed ignorance. Only a small inner circle knew the full scope of the plan, and even among Gaza-based leadership, not all were informed. Some received instructions before the attack to leave their homes and relocate to secure areas. As Israel's war on Gaza enters its twentieth month and continues to target Hamas leaders, the question now is: who remains from the core of October 7, and who truly knew what? While most of Hamas's political leadership was excluded from operational details, some senior figures had given strategic backing to the idea of a preemptive strike. Khaled Meshaal, Mousa Abu Marzouk, and Mahmoud al-Zahar were among those who supported military action to derail reported Israeli assassination plans targeting Hamas figures. The name most closely linked to the attack remains Yahya Sinwar, who headed Hamas in Gaza at the time. Though not the originator of the idea, he was the operation's chief engineer and maintained strict control over its planning. He handpicked those who were fully briefed and sanctioned the final plan. Following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July 2024, Sinwar was elevated to head of the political bureau -- a symbolic challenge to Israel. But just months later, in October 2024, Sinwar was killed in a surprise clash in Tel al-Sultan, western Rafah, alongside members of his inner circle. Haniyeh, for his part, had been focused on expanding Hamas's diplomatic reach. He had only a vague idea about the October 7 operation, believing it would be limited. He was assassinated in Tehran as well, in the same month as his successor. Khalil al-Hayya, now leading the political bureau and negotiations, was better informed than many of his peers but not to the extent of the military planners. Ruhi Mushtaha, one of the few civilians aware of the operation's breadth and timing, was killed in July 2024, as was Saleh al-Arouri, who was targeted earlier that year in Lebanon. Nizar Awadallah, who left Gaza shortly before the attack, remains active in back-channel negotiations and is considered a hardline figure inside Hamas. Though largely behind the scenes, he was reportedly better informed than most on the political level. On the military front, few names carry as much weight as Mohammed Deif, long-time commander of the Qassam Brigades. Deif, who survived numerous Israeli assassination attempts over the years, was finally killed in July 2024. Mohammed Sinwar, Yahya's younger brother, was considered the true mastermind of the operation and played a central role in its planning and execution. He too was killed in a targeted strike in Khan Younis, alongside his brother. Other key figures, like Marwan Issa, who had long served as Deif's deputy, died in March 2024 after being sidelined by illness. Several brigade commanders who oversaw preparations and joint drills with other factions, including the Islamic Jihad, were also eliminated. Only one high-ranking commander, Ezzedine al-Haddad of Gaza City, is believed to still be alive. Known as 'The Fox' for his ability to evade Israeli intelligence, he continues to operate underground.
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Arab News
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Uzbekistan keen to collaborate with Saudi Arabia on environmental protections: top official
RIYADH: Uzbekistan's cooperation with Saudi Arabia on ecology and environmental protection is steadily progressing, with the Central Asian nation aiming to deepen this partnership through the exchange of knowledge and innovation, a top official said. Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the Tashkent International Investment Forum, Uzbekistan's Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change Aziz Abdukhakimov said that the country wishes to collaborate with the Kingdom to develop effective solutions to issues including dust and sand storms. Saudi Arabia is spearheading climate action efforts across the Middle East, with ambitions to plant 10 billion trees, rehabilitate 40 million hectares of degraded land, and reduce carbon emissions by more than 278 million tonnes per year. 'Our cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the fields of ecology and environmental protection is dynamic and multifaceted. Through the Intergovernmental Commission between our two countries, we regularly exchange views on the current state and future prospects of collaboration between our environmental agencies,' said Abdukhakimov. He added: 'We plan to foster collaboration between our national parks and protected natural areas. Saudi Arabia has more than 70 such areas, covering about 18 percent of its territory.' The minister further said that such collaborations will allow the exchange of expertise in preserving unique ecosystems and rare species of flora and fauna. Abdukhakimov added that Uzbekistan's Central Asian University of Environmental and Climate Change Studies is seeking to establish academic partnerships with institutions in the Kingdom, including King Saud University and King Abdulaziz University, for the exchange of scientific knowledge and innovations in the environmental field. 'Our cooperation is built on trust, mutual interest, and a shared responsibility for sustainable development and environmental protection in our regions,' said the minister. He also invited Saudi partners to participate in the international Eco Expo Central Asia exhibition to be held in Tashkent from June 19 to 21, as well as the 20th CITES COP20 Conference, which will take place in Samarkand from Nov. 24 to Dec. 5. Uzbekistan's environmental agenda During the interview, Abdukhakimov told Arab News that Uzbekistan is currently facing several severe environmental challenges, both globally and regionally, including climate change, desertification, and land degradation. 'These phenomena directly impact the country's sustainable development and require proactive government action. At the regional and national levels, the most pressing issues include water scarcity and pollution, air quality degradation, and the need to conserve and restore biodiversity,' he said. To address these challenges, the Uzbek government, under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, is taking various measures, including a push for a green economy, a transition to environmentally friendly transportation, and the development of alternative and renewable energy sources. Saudi Arabia is also collaborating with Uzbekistan to advance its energy transition journey, which aims to generate 40 percent of its electricity from clean sources by the end of this decade. Saudi utility giant ACWA Power is the largest foreign player in Uzbekistan's energy sector, with the company already implementing 19 projects in the country worth a combined value of $5 billion. Out of these 19 initiatives, eight are focused on renewable energy, which is expected to support the Central Asian nation's goal to achieve 20 gigawatts of clean energy capacity by 2030. During the Tashkent Investment Forum, Abid Malik, president of ACWA Power for Central Asia, announced that Uzbekistan will commence producing green hydrogen this month, with an annual production capacity of 3,000 tonnes. In 2023, Mirziyoyev launched a pilot green hydrogen facility in the Tashkent Region in cooperation with ACWA Power. The $88 million project is being implemented in two phases, with production from the first phase expected to begin this month. During the forum, Soumendra Rout, ACWA Power's country head for Uzbekistan, said that the company is planning to invest $5 billion in the Central Asian nation as a part of its broader strategy aimed at increasing its total commitments in the country to $15 billion. Abdukhakimov added that Uzbekistan, through the nationwide project Yashil Makon 'Green Space,' aims to plant 200 million trees annually. Under the project, Uzbekistan has planted over 850 million tree and shrub seedlings over the past four years. 'Under the 'Uzbekistan – 2030' Strategy, one of the key priorities is to ensure a favorable environment for the population. The year 2025 has been declared the 'Year of Environmental Protection and Green Economy,' underscoring the state's strong commitment to environmental priorities,' said the minister. Abdukhakimov further added that Uzbekistan is also strengthening institutions for environmental monitoring and control, with the country installing automated air pollution monitoring stations and expanding its meteorological network. 'These measures demonstrate Uzbekistan's systematic approach to solving environmental problems and its active engagement in the global environmental movement,' he added. Cooperation with regional partners According to Abdukhakimov, Uzbekistan, like other Central Asian nations, is located in one of the world's most climate-vulnerable regions. He added that the average temperature in the region has risen by 1.5 degrees Celsius — twice the global average, while the area of glaciers has decreased by 30 percent in the last 50 to 60 years, resulting in water shortages, land degradation, and reduced crop yields. 'Central Asian countries share a common history, transboundary water resources and similar environmental threats — from desertification to increased vulnerability in agriculture. For this reason, Uzbekistan views cooperation as a key instrument in crafting a unified regional response to climate risks,' said the minister. To ensure regional cooperation, Uzbekistan also hosted the Samarkand Climate Forum in April, where the Regional Green Development Concept was presented. The minister said that this document serves as a foundation for shaping coordinated climate policy and strengthening regional solidarity in the face of global challenges. Uzbekistan is also actively engaged in numerous regional initiatives, including the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia, and the CAREC Program, as well as projects with the World Bank, OSCE, and UNESCO. Abdukhakimov further said that these initiatives will facilitate knowledge exchange, joint management of natural resources, and the mobilization of international funding. 'In short, Uzbekistan builds regional cooperation on climate issues on the principles of solidarity, mutual benefit, and synergy— firmly believing that only collective efforts can ensure a sustainable future for the entire region,' the minister said.
