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On January 17, 2024 IOF forces blew up Israa University in what appeared to be a controlled demolition. The OP states that 315 mines were used. According to this headline, citing a Facebook post from the schools Facebook page, "Israeli troops had seized the campus months ago and had turned it into a military base where Israel interrogated detained Palestinians." According to this report "the institution, which once served as a beacon of education, was reportedly used for Israeli military operations, the detention of isolated civilians, and interrogation purposes." "The university administration said in a statement today: 'The IOF occupied the university building for 70 days, turning it into a military base and a centre for sniping isolated civilians in the areas of Rashid Street, Al-Mughraqa and Al-Zahra, as well as a temporary detention centre for interrogating Palestinians, before detonating it.'" The buildings destroyed were the "...building of graduate studies and the main bachelor's colleges in the south of Gaza city." Additionally "the statement pointed out that occupation soldiers and officers looted rare artefacts held by the university before demolishing the museum building to cover up the traces of their crime."
"The Government Media Office in Gaza said that during the 100 days of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, Israel has destroyed 95 schools and universities completely and 295 schools and universities partially."
This is particularly ironic given Israel's constant unfounded claims that Hamas are operating out of schools in Gaza. Considering that IOF forces were using the school as an operational base for 70 days there is no justification for destroying the buildings as if they were being used by other combatants for military purposes. This aspect of purposeful cultural destruction is a key element of genocide.
The systemic destruction of an educational system is known as 'scholasticide'. "The term refers to the systemic obliteration of education through the arrest, detention or killing of teachers, students and staff, and the destruction of educational infrastructure."
"After six months of military assault, more than 5479 students, 261 teachers and 95 university professors have been killed in Gaza, and over 7819 students and 756 teachers have been injured..."
Israa University was the "last university remaining university in Gaza" before it was destroyed.
It cannot be understated that the purposeful destruction of cultural and educational institutions, which also compose civilian infrastructure, is a war crime.
Gaza university blown up in massive explosion - Video also available to view here
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