At least 40 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes targeting a tent camp designated as a humanitarian zone in Khan Younis, according to Gaza officials on Tuesday. The Israeli military stated that the strike was aimed at a Hamas command center operating in the area. Gaza civil defense reported that an additional 60 people were injured and transported to hospitals.
Witnesses said the Al-Mawasi camp, where displaced Palestinians had taken shelter, was hit by at least four missiles. The attack caused severe damage, with 20 tents catching fire and craters as deep as nine meters being created. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the strike targeted Hamas fighters conducting operations in the area, but Hamas denied the presence of its fighters at the camp.
Ambulances rushed to assist the injured, while Israeli jets continued to be heard overhead. The conflict has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, many of whom have fled multiple times. Despite evacuation orders from the IDF, overcrowding in Al-Mawasi has deterred some from leaving.
This is one of several deadly incidents in the camp since the conflict began. The war was triggered on 7 October when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and capturing around 250 hostages. In response, Israeli strikes have killed over 40,900 Palestinians, with thousands more buried under rubble or affected by the indirect consequences of the conflict.
Both sides have so far failed to agree on a ceasefire, with each blaming the other for the continued fighting and the unresolved status of hostages.
