At least five Palestinians were killed on Friday when Israeli shelling struck a school-turned-shelter in eastern Gaza City, according to Gaza’s Civil Defence, transforming what had been a wedding celebration for displaced residents into a scene of devastation and bloodshed.

Mahmud Bassal, spokesperson for the Civil Defence, said that “five martyrs have been recovered as a result of the Israeli shelling of the shelter at the Gaza Martyrs School,” located in the Tuffah neighbourhood. The attack occurred while displaced families had gathered at the school to celebrate the marriage of two residents, witnesses said.

Local sources reported that the bodies of the martyrs remained lying in the streets for hours, as rescue and recovery efforts were hampered by ongoing Israeli bombardment and severe restrictions on emergency services.

In a separate incident a day earlier, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Israeli occupation forces reportedly targeted a Palestinian woman as she was inspecting damage to her home. Four young men rushed to her aid in an attempt to rescue her, but were also killed in the attack, local sources said, bringing the death toll in that incident to five.

Palestinian activists and journalists described these incidents as part of a broader pattern of attacks on civilians, including those seeking shelter or attempting to assist the wounded.

As Israeli attacks continue, Gaza is also being battered by severe winter storms, compounding an already dire humanitarian crisis created by months of bombardment and a suffocating blockade.

Local sources reported that thousands of displacement tents were flooded overnight as heavy rain and strong winds swept across the besieged Strip. The makeshift tents, lacking insulation or any form of protective infrastructure, offered little resistance against the storm, leaving families exposed to the cold and rain.

The correspondent added that more than 50 homes have collapsed in recent days, particularly structures already cracked and weakened by repeated Israeli airstrikes and shelling. Torrential rainfall and powerful gusts caused damaged buildings to crumble, in some cases collapsing onto residents inside.

The Gaza Civil Defence confirmed that its crews were responding to the collapse of a residential home on al-Shifa Street in Gaza City, warning that further collapses are likely as storms persist and damaged buildings continue to deteriorate.

With civilians targeted in shelters, rescue efforts obstructed, and winter storms ravaging fragile living conditions, Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe continues to deepen, as calls grow for urgent international action to protect civilians and lift the siege on the besieged enclave. (ILKHA)