An investigation by The Guardian in collaboration with independent outlets Disclose and Follow the Money has revealed a troubling supply chain connecting European arms manufacturers to deadly airstrikes in Gaza, where hundreds of civilians—mostly children—have lost their lives.

Central to the investigation is the GBU-39, a precision-guided bomb made by American aerospace giant Boeing. The bomb’s wings, which unfold in midair to guide it to its target, are manufactured at a factory run by MBDA, Europe’s largest missile company. Although the plant is located in Alabama, USA, MBDA is jointly owned by major European defense firms—Britain’s BAE Systems, France’s Airbus, and Italy’s Leonardo.

These companies are now facing serious scrutiny, as their equipment has reportedly been used in at least 24 Israeli airstrikes on Gaza that resulted in mass civilian deaths—many in areas clearly marked as schools or shelters. In one horrifying case on May 26, a GBU-39 struck the Al-Zarqawi School in Gaza at 2 am, killing 36 people—half of them children—as families slept. Eyewitness video captured the desperate escape of a 5-year-old girl, Haneen al-Wadi, who survived with severe burns but lost her parents and sister.

Her uncle, Ahmed al-Wadi, recounted how the little girl was afraid to walk for fear of stepping on charred bodies. “How would a child feel seeing her parents burned alive?” he asked, describing a trauma that cannot be undone.

International humanitarian law prohibits deliberate attacks on civilian structures like schools. It requires clear warnings before any strike and precautions to avoid harming non-combatants. Amnesty International has condemned such attacks as potential war crimes, especially when no warnings are issued and targets are in densely populated civilian areas.

Israeli officials defended the strikes, claiming the Al-Zarqawi School was being used by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad for intelligence operations. They said precautions were taken to minimize civilian harm. But Amnesty’s senior investigator Donatella Rovera disputed that justification, stating that military activity does not excuse attacks on civilian-heavy zones, especially without warning.

Weapons experts confirmed the presence of GBU-39 fragments at the bomb sites. These lightweight yet deadly bombs, often promoted by U.S. defense policy, are increasingly being used due to their accuracy and devastating impact. When dropped on enclosed spaces like schools or homes, they create lethal fireballs. Between November 2023 and May 2024, 24 confirmed GBU-39 attacks killed more than 500 people—including at least 100 children.

The investigation also highlights the massive profits generated from this arms trade. MBDA reportedly paid out £350 million in dividends to its shareholders last year. The company has acknowledged its business relationship with Boeing and insists it complies with all export control laws. Still, the ethics of selling bomb components to a conflict zone where civilian casualties are rampant remain deeply questioned.

Meanwhile, global pressure mounts. The United Nations and Amnesty International are investigating the strikes for potential violations of international law, calling for accountability in what could amount to war crimes.