Israel drops tear gas bombs on school shelter in Western Gaza; dozens suffocate

Dozens of Palestinians, including women and children, suffered suffocation injuries on Thursday after Israeli drones dropped tear gas and smoke bombs on a school sheltering internally displaced persons (IDPs) west of Gaza City, according to local sources.

The school had been serving as a refuge for families forced from their homes amid the ongoing genocide. Eyewitnesses reported scenes of panic as thick smoke filled classrooms, with children screaming and families crying for help. Videos circulating on social media showed plumes of smoke rising from the building, as residents struggled to breathe.

Press sources said several young men managed to remove one of the canisters and hurl it outside the school, while tension and fear spread among the displaced.

Since the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza in October 2023, drones have increasingly shifted from surveillance tools to direct attack platforms, often used to drop small bombs or gas canisters on civilian gatherings and facilities.

The latest incident comes amid a wider escalation of Israeli strikes on displacement centers across Gaza City. Humanitarian groups warn that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are enduring catastrophic conditions as Israeli forces continue with systematic efforts to depopulate the city ahead of its occupation.