Full Breakdown
Israeli Strikes on the Islamic University of Gaza Kill Three and Injure Several
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In this breakdown
01
The Attack on October 25
On October 25 the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out two consecutive airstrikes on the Islamic University of Gaza in Gaza City. The first drone strike hit a gathering of students, wounding five female students with shrapnel. Hours later a second strike hit the same campus area, killing three Palestinians—identified by Palestinian media as university employees Ashraf Dahlan, Shadi Abu Ataya and Sami Baroud—and injuring at least seven others, including additional students.
It did not confirm whether the deceased were the intended target.
02
Background: Repeated Targeting of Gaza’s Higher Education
The Islamic University has been struck before. On October 12 2023 the IDF said a bomb hit a university building, alleging the site was used as a Hamas training camp. Since the ceasefire announced on October 10 2024, the university and other campuses have endured repeated attacks. An independent international commission of inquiry reported that 95 percent of Gaza’s higher-education buildings have been damaged.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
03
Key Figures and Organizations
- Israel Defense Forces (IDF) – issuer of the strike statements.
- Islamic University of Gaza – public university whose campus was struck.
- Mahmoud Bassal – spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Defense agency.
- Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education – condemning the attack.
- Federation of Unions of Palestinian University Professors and Employees (FUPUPE) – representing academic staff.
- UNESCO – reporting on damage to Gaza’s higher-education infrastructure.
04
Data and Casualties
- Fatalities: 3 (Ashraf Dahlan, Shadi Abu Ataya, Sami Baroud).
- Injured: At least 7, including the five female students wounded in the first strike.
- Broader impact: 95 percent of academic buildings in Gaza damaged; over the six days surrounding the October 25 attack, a total of 10 students and educators have been killed, according to Gaza’s civil-defense agency.
05
Official Statements & Responses
- Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education: Condemned the targeting of the university, calling it a “heinous assault” on the right to education and urging the international community to act.
- UNESCO: Reported that nearly 95 percent of Gaza’s higher-education campuses have been destroyed or damaged since the war began in October 2023.
06
Verbatim Quotes
- “This heinous assault is part of a continuous series of attacks on education; over the past six days, 10 students and educators have been killed by the occupation’s fire.” — Mahmoud Bassal, spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Defense agency
07
Why It Matters
The strikes highlight the vulnerability of civilian educational institutions in a conflict where military objectives intersect with densely populated areas. The loss of staff and students hampers an already fragile higher-education system and raises questions under international humanitarian law about the protection of schools and universities during armed conflict. Calls from UNESCO, the Palestinian Ministry of Education, and various unions underscore the broader humanitarian and legal implications of targeting academic facilities.