Friends and enemies of Israel on Saturday condemned the August 10 Israeli attack that killed dozens of displaced civilians in a Gaza school and renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire. The attack was the latest in a series of what the UN human rights office called “systematic attacks on schools” by Israel. There have been at least 21 such attacks since July 4, killing hundreds, including women and children.

The Israeli military now disputes the death toll given by the Palestinian Defense Agency, saying the school was attacked with “precision munitions” because it served “as an active military facility of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.” It added that at least 19 “terrorists” were killed in the attack.

Americans “must free the hostage”

A White House statement said it was “deeply concerned by the reports of civilian casualties” following the attack and was seeking further information. The attack “underscores the urgency of a ceasefire and hostage-taking agreement, which we continue to work tirelessly to achieve,” the statement added.

Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters traveling with her to Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday about the Israeli attack on Gaza: “Once again, far too many civilians have been killed.” “Israel has the right to take action against the Hamas terrorists,” she said. “But as I have said many, many times, I think they also have an important responsibility to avoid civilian casualties.”

Asked that such comments have done little to reduce the number of civilians killed in Gaza in recent months, Harris said: “First and foremost – and the president and I are working around the clock on this – we need to free the hostages.” “We need a hostage deal and we need a ceasefire,” she said. “And I cannot stress that strongly enough. It has to be done. The deal has to be done, and it has to be done now.”

Calls for “respect for international humanitarian law”

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy wrote on X that he was “appalled by the Israeli military strike on Al-Tabeen School and the tragic loss of life,” adding: “We need an immediate ceasefire to protect civilians, release all hostages and lift restrictions on aid.”

A statement from the French Foreign Ministry said that “school buildings have been repeatedly attacked for several weeks, causing an intolerable number of civilian casualties.” “Israel must respect international humanitarian law,” it added.

“We reiterate our call for full compliance with the provisional measures to protect civilians requested by the International Court of Justice,” the Spanish government said.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he was “horrified by the images of a school in Gaza hit by an Israeli attack. At least ten schools have been attacked in recent weeks. There is no justification for these massacres,” Borrell wrote on X.

Reactions in the Arab world

Qatar, a mediator in the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, called for an urgent investigation to establish the “facts regarding the ongoing attacks by Israeli occupation forces on schools and shelters for displaced people.”

Egypt, which has diplomatic relations with Israel and is also involved in negotiations between the two sides, said the attack was carried out “in violation of international law and humanitarian law” and showed a “lack of willingness on the Israeli side to end this cruel war.”

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said the timing was indicative of Israel’s efforts to “obstruct and thwart” recent mediation efforts.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said the attack “showed once again that Israel does not respect any of the rules and regulations of international law and any moral and human principles.” Kanani called for “decisive action by Muslim and freedom-loving countries around the world to support the Palestinian nation and its legitimate struggle and resistance against the occupation.”

The Lebanese Hezbollah group described the attack as a “horrific massacre” and called for worldwide outrage and solidarity with the Palestinians.

“Sabotage” of the ceasefire negotiations

“Moscow is deeply shocked by the events,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement. “We reiterate our principled and consistent position on the need for strict compliance with the norms of international humanitarian law. We call on the Israeli side to refrain from attacks on civilian objects.”

A statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry spoke of a “new crime against humanity”. The attack shows “once again” that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “wants to sabotage negotiations on a permanent ceasefire”. “The international actors who do not take action to stop Israel are complicit in these crimes,” it continues.