Israel-Hamas Conflict: School Airstrike Escalates Tensions, NAACP Calls For Halt To US Weapons Deliveries

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched an airstrike on a Gaza school Thursday, stating that the attack targeted up to 30 Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters. However, a Hamas official reported that 40 people, including women and children, sheltering at a UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) site, were killed.

A CNN analysis identified fragments of U.S.-made GBU-39 small diameter bombs at the scene. A similar identification emerged following an IDF strike in Rafah on May 26.

The Israeli military confirmed the strike, stating it targeted a Hamas compound within the school. Military spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said the military was not “aware of any civilian casualties.”

Lerner added that 20 to 30 militants, including those involved in the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, were using the school to plan and execute attacks. CNN indicated that it had not independently verified these statements.

Footage from the scene showed Palestinians carrying bodies and injured people to a hospital. This attack comes at a crucial time in ceasefire negotiations, which aim to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

US Calls For Transparency, NAACP’s Call To Halt Weapons Deliveries To Tel Aviv

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed that the U.S. is in contact with Israel regarding the strike and expects Israel to provide full transparency about the incident, highlighting growing international concerns over civilian casualties and the need for accountability.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) urged President Joe Biden to “indefinitely” halt weapons deliveries to Israel and to pressure Israel to end its military actions in Gaza.

The century-old civil organization warned that continued support for Israel could affect Biden’s support among Black voters in the upcoming election.

The NAACP also urged Hamas to cease terrorist activities and return the hostages, while calling on Israel to align its military strategies with international and humanitarian laws.

US Warns Israel Not To Engage In A War With Lebanon

The Biden administration has cautioned Israel against a “limited war” in Lebanon, warning it could provoke Iranian intervention, according to U.S. and Israeli officials who spoke to Axios.

This caution comes amid escalating skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah, intensifying since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks, which have prompted calls within Israel for expanded military action against Hezbollah.

U.S. officials emphasized that a ground invasion in Lebanon could attract militants from pro-Iranian groups in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, complicating efforts to maintain regional stability.

The iShares MSCI Israel ETF EIS fell 0.5% on Thursday, marking its third straight session of losses. Oil prices edged higher, with the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rising above $75 a barrel.

The United States Oil Fund USO, which tracks the performance of the WTI light crude, rallied 1.9%

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