At least 40 killed, dozens injured after Israeli strike on Gaza humanitarian zone

Israeli airstrikes on a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza killed and wounded over 60 people, according to Gaza's civil emergency service. The attack targeted a camp in the Al-Mawasi area near Khan Younis, which had been designated a humanitarian zone. 

According to Reuters, residents and medics claimed that at least four missiles hit the camp, which was filled with Palestinians fleeing violence from other parts of Gaza. The airstrikes caused significant damage, with over 20 tents catching fire and craters as deep as nine metres being created by the missiles. The casualties included women and children, though the exact number of deaths and injuries remains unclear.

The Israeli military said the airstrikes targeted a Hamas command centre located within the humanitarian zone. They claimed that Hamas militants in the area had been planning and executing attacks on Israeli troops. However, Hamas denied these allegations, stating that no fighters were present in the camp and rejecting accusations of using civilian areas for military purposes.

A Gaza civil emergency official described the situation as a “new Israeli massacre” and reported that rescue teams were still searching for victims trapped under the debris.

The ongoing conflict has forced almost all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to flee their homes multiple times, with some displaced up to ten times.