Israeli strike on Islamic University of Gaza campus kills three, injures students

Strikes on the campus

Israeli attacks hit the Islamic University of Gaza on Sunday, 25 October, in two strikes within a few hours, according to Al Jazeera. An air strike on the campus in Gaza City killed three security guards, and an earlier drone strike wounded students. Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City said it received three bodies and treated eight wounded people, a count AFP also reported. Al Jazeera put the earlier injuries at seven female students hit by shrapnel, so the injury count differs by source. Sources also describe the dead differently, calling them security members in AFP's account and administrative staff in N-tv's account.

Education toll

The Palestinian Education Ministry told AFP that ten students and teachers had been killed in the past six days. It said 95 percent of university buildings in Gaza had been damaged during the war between Israel and Hamas. Europa Press, citing the ministry through the Wafa news agency, counted ten students and one teacher among the dead. Nine of the students were minors aged six to 16. The list also includes an eight-year-old girl, the only surviving member of her family, who died of wounds from Israeli gunfire sustained days earlier east of Deir al-Balah. According to UNESCO, cited by Al Jazeera, nearly 95 percent of Gaza's higher education campuses have been destroyed or damaged since October 2023.

Other strikes and the ceasefire

Gaza's Civil Defence, a rescue service operating under Hamas authority, reported four further deaths elsewhere in the territory. Two people were killed in Khan Younis, one in Deir al-Balah and one in the north. Al Jazeera, citing the Nasser Medical Complex and the Wafa news agency, reported two killed in al-Mawasi in Khan Younis, one east of Deir al-Balah and one on al-Rashid Street near Hamad Hospital. The ceasefire took effect on 10 October 2025, and Israel and Hamas accuse each other of violating it. The Israeli military said it was checking the reports. Since the truce began, Gaza's Health Ministry has counted 1,551 people killed and 5,573 injured as of Sunday.

Killed1,551

Injured5,573

Killed

1551 people

Injured

5573 people

Data from the article text

UNICEF says more than 340 children have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire began.

Cumulative toll

Gaza's Health Ministry, which operates under Hamas control, raised its cumulative toll to 74,544 Palestinians killed and 175,692 injured since the war began on 7 October 2023. In the 24 hours before the update, the ministry recorded four deaths and 14 injuries. Hospitals and medical teams still face serious health and humanitarian difficulties across the territory.

Killed74,544

Injured175,692

Killed

74544 people

Injured

175692 people

Data from the article text

Reactions

The Popular Resistance Committees condemned the university attacks and called on mediators and international guarantors to stop what it described as Israeli violations. The Education Ministry condemned the strikes and said the world's silence encouraged further attacks on students and universities. Al Jazeera reported that most buildings at the Islamic University were already destroyed before Sunday's attacks. According to Al Jazeera, the incident showed that students cannot feel safe even on campus.