Israel Bombs Gaza’s Oldest University

Multiple Buildings Destroyed at Two Sites

Israeli warplanes attacked Islamic University of Gaza, the oldest university in the Gaza Strip today. No injuries were reported but the strikes destroyed several buildings on the female portion of the campus and damaged many other buildings near the university. Another college run by the university in southern Gaza City was also attacked.

The university reportedly evacuated its campuses days ago, expecting an Israeli attack at some point during its ongoing offensive. Many high ranking Hamas officials graduated from the 30 year old university, a key cultural symbol for the Hamas government.

As the death toll continues to spiral in the strip, Palestinians are reportedly receiving threatening phone calls from the Israeli military, ordering them to abandon their homes. The military has also said it will not hesitate to attack the homes of civilians whom it suspects of protecting Hamas members.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.