Gaza: Israeli sniper kills Palestinian schoolgirl in front of classmates
Israeli occupation forces shot and killed a Palestinian schoolgirl Thursday April 09, 2026 in front of her classmates while she was studying in a tent classroom in northern Gaza
Gaza: Israeli occupation forces shot and killed a Palestinian schoolgirl Thursday April 09, 2026 in front of her classmates while she was studying in a tent classroom in northern Gaza.
The latest killing by the Israeli occupation forces came despite a US-backed ceasefire, after more than two years of genocide that has devastated the education system.
9-year-old Retaj Reihan, a 3rd grade student at Abu Ubaida Al-Jarrah School in northern Gaza, was attending class in a tent classroom when she was fatally shot by an Israeli bullet in front of her classmates, leaving them in profound shock.
"Brutal, Horrific Crime"
The Palestinian Ministry of Health slammed the attack as a “brutal and horrific crime, adding to Israel’s long, dark record of atrocities,” emphasizing that it is not an isolated event but part of a continuous assault over more than two and a half years, which has killed tens of thousands of children’s lives, destroyed infrastructure, and flattened schools across the Gaza Strip.
According to Retaj’s mother, the young girl woke up eager to go to the school before she was killed by Israeli forces.
Her father told local media that he took her to school, and along the way she spoke “excitedly about her preparations for her uncle’s upcoming wedding, including wearing her best dress and styling her hair.”
“I dropped her off at the school gate, never imagining it would be the last time I’d see her walking,” he said. An hour and a half later, he received news of her injury. Upon arriving at the hospital, he found her covered in blood, wrapped in a white shroud.
School Principal Mohamed Al-Attar described the moment: “She was sitting at her desk with 44 other students around her when she suddenly collapsed. It was later confirmed that she had been shot in the neck.”
Due to the lack of medical transport in the area, the only way to move her to the nearest medical point was by horse-drawn carriage. "Attempts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful", he added.
Al-Attar confirmed that the shot came from the eastern side of the school, near the so-called “yellow line,” less than two kilometers away, where Israeli forces are stationed.
Hundreds of Gaza Schools Destroyed by Israel
Since the start of the genocidal war in Gaza in October 2023, the education system has been completely disrupted. Hundreds of schools have been destroyed by the Israel forces, while the remaining ones have been converted into shelters for displaced families, leaving about 700,000 students without access to education.
Displaced children in Gaza attend classes run by volunteer teachers in overcrowded tents in some areas, striving to continue their education despite the widespread destruction of schools.
However, these temporary classrooms face severe challenges, including harsh weather conditions, limited resources, and ongoing Israeli attacks.
There has been a surge in Israeli attacks across the war-torn Gaza Strip. Nearly six months into the ceasefire, which took effect on October 10, the Israeli occupation continues its genocidal war on the Palestinian enclave, killing hundreds and restricting the entry of desperately-needed aid, with no pause in the attacks or the suffering.
Israel has violated the ceasefire agreement over 2,070 times. The average number of violations committed by Israeli forces has reached 13.1 violations per day, according to the Gaza Government Media Office.
Israeli forces have killed more than 710 Palestinians during that period, including over 300 children, women, and the elderly.
Over 72,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the war began on October 7, 2023.
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