Over 40 Dead, Dozens Injured in Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza Tent Camp

CAIRO, Egypt — In a tragic incident, Israeli airstrikes targeted a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza, resulting in significant casualties. Reports from the Gaza civil emergency service indicate that 65 people have either been killed or wounded in the strikes, which the Israeli military characterized as targeting a Hamas command center.

The Hamas-run Gaza government media office reported over 40 fatalities, with at least 60 individuals injured. Rescue operations were ongoing early Tuesday morning, and many people remain unaccounted for amidst the chaos.

According to residents and medical personnel, the encampment located near Khan Younis in the Al-Mawasi area was struck by a minimum of four missiles. This area has been designated by Israeli authorities as a humanitarian safe zone for displaced Palestinians, who have sought refuge there after being ordered to evacuate other parts of Gaza.

The Gaza Civil Emergency Service noted that as many as 20 tents were set ablaze during the attack, creating craters as deep as 30 feet in the surrounding ground. The casualty figures reported include many women and children, although detailed breakdowns of the injured and deceased were not immediately available.

There has been no prompt response from the Gaza health ministry, which typically compiles and verifies casualty statistics. Earlier reports from the Hamas-aligned Shehab News Agency indicated that 40 individuals had been killed in the assault.

An official from the Gaza civil emergency service described the scene as reminiscent of a new massacre carried out by Israeli forces. The official stated that rescue teams were facing challenges in locating victims potentially trapped under rubble.

The Israeli military claimed they targeted what they described as significant Hamas operatives within a command and control center situated in what they called a humanitarian area in Khan Younis. According to their statement, these individuals were allegedly involved in conducting attacks against Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the state of Israel.

In response, Hamas denied the Israeli military’s accusations, asserting that no militants were present in the area struck by missiles. Hamas condemned the Israeli claims as a blatant attempt to rationalize actions that resulted in civilian casualties, stating, “The resistance has denied several times that any of its members exist within civilian gatherings or use these places for military purposes.”

Witnesses reported ambulances frantically transporting the injured between the encampment and nearby medical facilities while Israeli jets continued to be heard in the skies above. The situation in Gaza remains dire, with nearly all of the region’s 2.3 million inhabitants having been displaced at least once, and some families having to flee their homes as many as ten times.

The ongoing conflict was ignited on October 7, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel that resulted in around 1,200 casualties and roughly 250 hostages, based on Israeli figures. Since then, Israel’s military operations in Gaza have led to over 40,900 Palestinian deaths, according to figures released by Gaza’s health ministry.

As the hostilities continue, both parties are exchanging blame for the inability to secure a ceasefire that could facilitate an end to the conflict and the release of hostages.

Source: USA TODAY