Gaza crisis: US condemns fatal attack on UN school, says culprit unknown – as it happened

Guardian Washington correspondent Paul Lewis (@paullewis) has more on the White House condemnation of the shelling of the UN school via Bernadette Meehan, a spokesperson for the White House’s National Security Council.

Meehan passes on this statement:

The United States condemns the shelling of a UNRWA school in Gaza, which reportedly killed and injured innocent Palestinians – including children – and UN humanitarian workers. We are extremely concerned that thousands of internally displaced Palestinians who have been called on by the Israeli military to evacuate their homes are not safe in UN designated shelters in Gaza. We also condemn those responsible for hiding weapons in United Nations facilities in Gaza. All of these actions, and similar ones earlier in the conflict, are inconsistent with the UN’s neutrality. This violence underscores the need to achieve a cease-fire as soon as possible.

Paul adds this analysis:

Although the White House statement does not specifically condemn Israel – US officials are saying an investigation needs to determine culpability for the school – the language being used, I think, signals growing unease in Washington over the Israeli offensive.

The White House’s specific condemnation – and use of the phrase “extremely concerned” – marks the strongest criticism of Israel, albeit implied, since the conflict began.

As we’ve been reporting, the relationship between the US and Israel has been strained in recent days after a series of diplomatic disagreements leaked to the press.

“This seems to happen over and over again,” Lee, the reporter, says. “Are you concerned that ISrael is not attempting to live up to its high standards” to avoid civilian casualties?

“I do believe that they are trying to live up to the high standard they’ve set for themselves... but we do believe that the ISraelis need to do more,” Harf says. She says Hamas has used UN facilities to hide rockets “and we think that is of course putting civilians at risk and they should not do that.”

Does this condemnation, Lee asks, imply or come with any kinds of consequences?

Harf sidesteps the question, saying secretary of state John Kerry “is very focused on seeing if we can get a temporary ceasefire in place here.”

US state department spokeswoman Marie Harf on the condemnation:

“We do condemn the shelling of an UNRWA school in Gaza... of course we would also condemn those responsible for hiding weapons in Gaza facilities as well.”

AP’s Matt Lee draws out a crucial distinction: but you’re not condemning the “Israeli shelling”?

“We underscore the importance of a full investigation,” Harf says.

Lee: So you don’t condemn the Israeli shelling?

“Correct, we have said there needs to be a full investigation,” Harf says.

Update: An Associated Press snap report (see tweet here) saying “US condemns Israel’s shelling of UN school” that had been posted here has been removed.

The White House did not in fact condemn “Israel’s shelling” (read the full White House statement here). The US government says an investigation is needed to determine who shelled the school and other UN facilities. But it condemns the shelling.

As our live blog coverage continues, here’s a summary of where things stand:

• A reported Israeli air strike Wednesday afternoon on a busy market in Shuja’iya east of Gaza City killed at least 17 and wounded 200, Palestinian health officials said.
• The market was crowded because people understood there was a ceasefire at the time, health officials said. The Israeli military had warned that a “humanitarian window” did not apply “where IDF soldiers are operating.”
• An earlier strike on a UN school sheltering thousands of displaced Gazans Wednesday killed at least 15 and wounded at least 100.
• The UN used unusually harsh language to condemn the attack on the school, calling it a “source of universal shame.” “This is the sixth time that one of our schools has been struck,” a UN statement said.
• The Israeli military said it was responding to fire in the area.
  
• The Israeli military announced that three soldiers had been killed in southern Gaza, bringing the total number of soldiers killed in the current conflict to 56.
• Representatives of Palestinian factions including Hamas joined ceasefire talks in Cairo as Egyptian officials redoubled efforts to broker a deal.

The Israeli military announces that three soldiers were killed in southern Gaza Wednesday, bringing the total killed in the current conflict to 56. Details to come.

Followers of this blog the past week will have read about Shayma Sheikh al-Eid, the baby delivered via Caesarean prematurely after her mother was killed last week when shelling hit the family home.

BBC reports the baby has died:

(h/t @rayajalabi)

A local journalist was among those killed in the market strikes, according BBC Arabic’s Shadi Alkashif (see his report in Arabic on Facebook here):

“Several shells fell as people were running away,” NBC News quotes witnesses of the Shuja’iya market strikes as saying: