At least 40 people have been killed and 60 injured in an Israeli attack on a tent encampment for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza, according to civil emergency authorities in the enclave. The attack targeted at least 20 tents in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis early on Tuesday morning. The area had become overcrowded with Palestinians seeking shelter in tents after the Israeli army designated it a “safe zone” during previous ground invasions.
Rescuers searching for survivors reported finding craters up to 9 meters deep at the tent camp, amidst chaotic scenes with fires burning and Israeli reconnaissance planes circling overhead. Gaza’s Civil Defence described the attack as one of the most heinous massacres in the ongoing conflict.
Israeli authorities claimed that the strike targeted “significant Hamas terrorists” operating from a command and control center within the humanitarian zone. They stated that precautions were taken to minimize civilian casualties, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance.
Hamas, the Palestinian group governing Gaza, denied that its fighters were present in the area and accused Israel of perpetuating lies to justify their actions. They emphasized that the resistance had no members within civilian areas and did not use them for military purposes.
The attack has sparked outrage and condemnation from international human rights organizations and world leaders, with calls for an immediate ceasefire and a peaceful resolution to the escalating violence in the region. The incident serves as a grim reminder of the devastating toll that the conflict is taking on innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.
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