By An Israeli airstrike on a tent camp in a designated humanitarian zone in Gaza killed at least 40 people and wounded 60 others early Tuesday, according to Palestinian officials. The Israeli military disputed the death toll and said it targeted senior Hamas militants in the area.
The overnight strike hit the Muwasi area, a coastal region Israel had previously designated as a safe zone for civilians fleeing the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Gaza’s Civil Defense reported recovering 40 bodies from the scene, with search efforts continuing.
Associated Press footage showed three large craters at the site. First responders were seen digging through sand and rubble with basic tools and their hands, using mobile phone lights in the pre-dawn darkness. Body parts, including what appeared to be a human leg, were pulled from the debris.
Iyad Hamed Madi, a displaced person sheltering in Muwasi, expressed disbelief at the attack on an area deemed safe. “We were told to go to Muwasi, to the safe area… Look around you and see this safe place,” he said, holding up a bag of diapers for his 4-month-old son.
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received about two dozen bodies from the strike. An AP cameraman observed 10 bodies in the hospital morgue, including two children and three women.
The Israeli military stated it had targeted Hamas militants in a command-and-control center embedded in the area. It identified three alleged senior operatives, claiming they were involved in the October 7 attack and recent operations against Israeli forces. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesperson, disputed the reported casualty figures, saying they didn’t align with the military’s information about the weapons used and the strike’s accuracy.
Hamas denied any militants were present in the area, calling Israel’s claims a “blatant lie.” Neither side provided evidence to support their assertions.
The war, which began with Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, has displaced around 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million population. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 40,900 Palestinian deaths since the war’s start, with women and children comprising just over half of the casualties. Israel claims to have killed more than 17,000 militants.
International mediators continue efforts to broker a ceasefire agreement and secure the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant suggested conditions might be favorable for a six-week pause in fighting, though he did not commit to a permanent end to hostilities as demanded by Hamas.
The conflict has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with aid groups struggling to operate due to ongoing fighting and Israeli restrictions. The United Nations’ main aid agency for Palestinians reported that Israeli troops delayed a polio vaccination convoy for over eight hours on Monday, despite prior coordination.
Credit: apnews.com
