GAZA

Palestinians who took refuge from Israel's blockade and fierce attacks in schools, hospitals, and UN facilities in the Gaza Strip are trying to find information about relatives the Israeli army detained in raids.

The army takes Palestinians – adults and children alike – into detention.

After raiding a school in the Al-Bureij Refugee Camp in central Gaza, the army detained many who were taking shelter in the facility.

Nidal Mansour from Gaza told Anadolu that the army raided a school in the camp where his family had found shelter.

"They asked all the men to go to the schoolyard and women and girls to go down to the ground floor through the speakers," he said.

The soldiers forced the men and children to undress and stand in their underwear. They lined them up against the school wall before taking most to an unknown location, he said, though he was spared.

He said he communicated by telephone with women from his family at the school but that was cut off after the raid.

Mansour reported that among those detained were his father Abdulfattah, brother Edip, son Mohammed, and nephew Salih. He said people from other families were also detained.

The army detained almost all of the men, including children, from the school, he explained.

"Due to the intense bombardment by the Israeli army and firing at anyone entering the camp, no one can access the Al-Bureij Refugee camp (any longer)," said Mansour.

Small unmanned aerial vehicles flying at low altitudes above the camp fire at anyone in motion, he added.

Witnesses reported that since Jan. 4, the army has been attempting to enter the interior of the camp from the ground, leading to intense fighting between Palestinian resistance fighters and Israeli forces.

Seif Magango, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), expressed concern about ongoing Israeli attacks in central Gaza, noting that there were more 50 airstrikes on Dec. 24-25 alone.