In the aftermath of the Israeli attack on the UN-run al-Sardi school in Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp, at least 40 Palestinians lost their lives, including 14 children and nine women. The assault, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday, left 74 others wounded. An Al Jazeera investigation of the debris revealed that the weapons used in the attack were of US origin.
An inertial measurement unit from the missile, designed to improve precision targeting, was found to be manufactured by Honeywell, a US-based conglomerate known for its sensors and guidance devices used in various military weapons. Al Jazeera’s Sanad verification unit traced the fragment bearing the manufacturer and category number HG1930BA06 back to Honeywell.
This same part was discovered after the Israeli bombing of a Palestinian home in Shujayea, Gaza, in 2014. The two pieces from the recent and the 2014 bombings share the same manufacturer part number.
Elijah Magnier, an independent military and political analyst, told Al Jazeera, “We see also other numbers like the MFR, HG 1930 and then BA 06. This is the manufacturer part number that provides more specific details about the component of the missiles. Now, if you look at the manufacturer identification … it is a format used by the aerospace and defence sector in the United States connected to Honeywell.
Honeywell is a well-known supplier of IMUs for various military applications, including the guided missiles it has provided to the Israeli Air Force since 2000. Al Jazeera has reached out to Honeywell for a comment but has not yet received a response.
Israeli attacks on UN spaces have become increasingly frequent during the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of over 36,000 Palestinians. Major human rights groups have repeatedly accused Israel of violating international law, and it currently faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice. The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor has also sought arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
In May, a US government report suggested possible Israeli violations of international law in Gaza but did not specify them, allowing continued US military aid. President Joe Biden has threatened to halt the supply of some offensive weapons to Israel if it continues its Rafah operation but has not acted on his threat.
Central Gaza has recently been subjected to severe Israeli bombardment, with residents likening it to the early days of the war. The attack on al-Sardi school in Nuseirat is part of this assault. Witnesses and survivors described the attack as horrific, with people torn apart and body parts, including those of children, collected until the early morning. Weapon debris was scattered throughout the shattered rooms and blood-stained mattresses.
Israel‘s Arabic language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, claimed that the UN school was targeted because it housed a Hamas command post and fighters involved in the October 7 attack on Israel. He also asserted that Israel took steps to minimize civilian casualties. However, Ismail al-Thawabta, the director of Hamas’s government media office, rejected Israel’s claims.
