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Gaza UN school shelling: 'They came here for protection, not to be killed' Gaza UN school shelling: 'They came here for protection, not to be killed'
(35 minutes later)
The first shell came just after the early morning call to prayer, when most of those taking shelter in a United Nations school in Jabaliya refugee camp were asleep, crammed into classrooms with what few possessions they had managed to snatch when they fled their homes.The first shell came just after the early morning call to prayer, when most of those taking shelter in a United Nations school in Jabaliya refugee camp were asleep, crammed into classrooms with what few possessions they had managed to snatch when they fled their homes.
Three thousand people have squashed into Jabaliya Elementary A&B Girls' School since the Israeli military warned people to leave their homes and neighbourhoods or risk death under intense bombardment. Classroom Number 1, just inside the school's entrance, had become home to about 40, mostly women and children. Three thousand people have squashed into Jabaliya Elementary A&B girls' school since the Israeli military warned people to leave their homes and neighbourhoods or risk death under intense bombardment. Classroom Number 1, just inside the school's entrance, had become home to about 40, mostly women and children.
As a shell blasted through the wall, showering occupants with shrapnel, Amna Zantit, 31, scrambled to gather up her three terrified infants in a panicked bid for the relative safety of the school yard. "Everyone was trying to escape," she said, clutching her eight-month old baby tight. As a shell blasted through the wall, showering occupants with shrapnel, Amna Zantit, 31, scrambled to gather up her three terrified infants in a panicked bid for the relative safety of the school yard. "Everyone was trying to escape," she said, clutching her eight-month-old baby tight.
Minutes later, a second shell slammed through the roof the two-storey school. Nineteen people were dead and more than 100 injured. Most were women and children. Minutes later, a second shell slammed through the roof of the two-storey school. Nineteen people were dead and more than 100 injured. Most were women and children.
Khalil al-Halabi, the UN official in charge of the schools in the area, was quickly on the scene. Bodies were littered across the classroom, and the badly injured lay in pools of blood amid the debris and rubble caused by the blast. "I was shaking," he said. "It was very, very hard for me to see the blood and hear the children crying."Khalil al-Halabi, the UN official in charge of the schools in the area, was quickly on the scene. Bodies were littered across the classroom, and the badly injured lay in pools of blood amid the debris and rubble caused by the blast. "I was shaking," he said. "It was very, very hard for me to see the blood and hear the children crying."
By daylight, the detritus of people's lives was visible among ruins of the classroom: a ball, a bucket, some blankets, tins of food, a pair of flip-flops. The corpses of donkeys, used to haul the meagre possessions of refugees to what they thought was safety, lay at the school's entrance as two lads wearing Palestinian boy scout scarves collected human body parts for burial. Five of the injured were in a critical condition in hospital.By daylight, the detritus of people's lives was visible among ruins of the classroom: a ball, a bucket, some blankets, tins of food, a pair of flip-flops. The corpses of donkeys, used to haul the meagre possessions of refugees to what they thought was safety, lay at the school's entrance as two lads wearing Palestinian boy scout scarves collected human body parts for burial. Five of the injured were in a critical condition in hospital.
Halabi was facing impossible requests for advice from those who escaped the carnage. "These people are very angry. They evacuated their homes and came here for protection, not to be killed inside a UN shelter. Now they are asking me whether to stay or leave. They are very frightened. They don't know what to do."Halabi was facing impossible requests for advice from those who escaped the carnage. "These people are very angry. They evacuated their homes and came here for protection, not to be killed inside a UN shelter. Now they are asking me whether to stay or leave. They are very frightened. They don't know what to do."