The Arab Council strongly condemns the bombing of the “Al-Tabe’een” school in the Daraj neighborhood of eastern Gaza City, which resulted in the death of over 100 innocent civilians who had sought refuge in the school to escape the ongoing violence in the area. This brutal attack targeted a school known to shelter displaced civilians, constituting a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, and is considered a war crime under its provisions.

This attack represents a flagrant violation of the principle of distinction, which obligates warring parties to differentiate between military objectives and civilians. Targeting the “Al-Tabe’een” school, which was a safe haven for civilians fleeing the conflict, is a direct assault on this principle. Furthermore, Israeli forces violated the principle of proportionality, as the enormous human losses resulting from the attack cannot in any way be justified by any alleged military benefit, making this act unforgivable.

Additionally, this attack is an outright assault on educational facilities, which are granted special protection under the Hague and Geneva Conventions. Schools are civilian objects that must be protected and may only be targeted if used for military purposes, and even then, all possible measures must be taken to protect civilians. In the case of the “Al-Tabe’een” school, there was no evidence justifying such a violent attack on civilians.

The Arab Council stresses the need for this crime to be thoroughly documented by relevant international and local human rights organizations and calls for an independent and transparent international investigation to ensure that all those responsible for this massacre are held accountable. Impunity for such crimes encourages their repetition, and the international community must assume its responsibility to ensure justice and protect civilians.

The Arab Council reaffirms its full commitment to the principles of international humanitarian law and human rights and will exert every effort to combat impunity and ensure that the perpetrators of this horrific massacre are brought to justice before international and national courts. We will spare no effort in seeking justice and ensuring that those responsible for these heinous crimes are held accountable.

The Arab Council calls on the international community to take immediate action to condemn this brutal attack and impose appropriate sanctions on its perpetrators. Protecting civilians in armed conflicts is not an option; it is a legal and moral obligation that all parties must respect. What happened at the “Al-Tabe’een” school is a wake-up call for the entire international community, and we urge urgent measures to ensure that such tragedies are not repeated.

Arab Council President
Dr. Moncef Marzouki