GAZA CITY, Palestine

The Palestinian group Hamas on Saturday held US President Joe Biden and his administration responsible for the “massacres” committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, Hamas said: “US President Biden and his administration bear responsibility for the series of Israeli massacres, the most recent of which was the targeting of Al-Fakhoura School, which shelters displaced children and women."

It added: “The occupation launched a raid with American aircraft on the courtyard of Al-Fakhoura School in Jabalia Camp, which contains the largest number of displaced people, leaving dozens dead and injured, all of them children and women, one day after targeting the Osama bin Zaid School, in the Al-Saftawi area, north of Gaza City.”

“The criminal occupation is committing these brutal massacres, with direct cover from the American administration and President Biden,” Hamas said, stressing that “Biden and his administration bear full responsibility for the crimes of genocide launched by the fascist and failed occupation army against civilians in the Gaza Strip.”

At least 15 Palestinians were killed and more than 70 others injured earlier Saturday in an Israeli bombing that targeted Al-Fakhoura School, which houses thousands of displaced people, west of the Jabalia refugee camp, according the Health Ministry in Gaza.

The bombing comes as Israel is rapidly intensifying its attacks on civilians and infrastructure on an ongoing basis.

The latest attack was the bombing that targeted another school housing displaced people, two ambulances and the vicinity of three hospitals, causing deaths and injuries.

The Israeli army has widened its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since the surprise offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 9,488 Palestinians, including 3,900 children have been killed in Israeli attacks since then, while the Israeli death toll has topped 1,500, according to official figures.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi