'Israel has right to attack civilians', says US State Department spokesperson

US State Department spokesperson stated that "Israel has the right to target civilians" in response to questions about an attack on a UN school in central Gaza.

The spokesperson, Matthew Miller, addressed reporters about the overnight strike on the school where approximately 6,000 people had sought refuge, stating, "It is a difficult situation. If it is true – that you have this site where Hamas is hiding inside a school, other militants are hiding inside a school, those individuals are legitimate targets, but at the same time they’re embedded near civilians. Israel has a right to try and target those civilians."

He quickly added that civilian harm must be "minimized" saying: "but they also have the obligation to minimize civilian harm and take every step possible to minimize civilian harm. So that’s why we are pressing the Government of Israel and the IDF to be completely transparent about what happened here. We want to know the facts as much as anyone."

Miller emphasized that while Israeli Occupation may have the right to target militants in such scenarios, they are also obligated to take every possible measure to minimize harm to civilians. He stressed the importance of transparency from the Israeli Occupation government and the IOF regarding the incident.

Following inquiries from Anadolu Agency, the State Department clarified that Miller misspoke and intended to refer to Hamas fighters rather than civilians.

A footnote correcting the statement was added to the official transcript of Thursday's briefing to claim that he meant Hamas fighters in place of civilians.

- Israeli Occupation attack on school -

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), condemned the attack, noting that it resulted in the deaths of 35 people, many of whom were children, and numerous injuries, with no prior warning given to those sheltering in the facility. Lazzarini underscored the significance of adhering to international humanitarian law and protecting UN staff and premises.

While the Israeli Occupation military claimed that Hamas fighters were hiding in the school, Lazzarini stated that the UN could not verify these claims.

The attack adds to the escalating casualties and destruction in Gaza, where over 36,600 Palestinians have been killed and more than 83,000 injured since the onset of the Israeli Occupation aggression.

The blockade on Gaza has further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, with widespread shortages of essential resources such as food, clean water, and medicine.