Gaza: Dozens Killed in Israeli Raid on Humanitarian Zone
An Israeli strike in a humanitarian zone in the Gaza Strip killed 40 people and injured 60, targeting what Israel claimed was a Hamas command center. What will be the repercussions of this attack?
Deadly Strike in Humanitarian Zone
The tragic toll of the escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict was highlighted again during an Israeli strike on a humanitarian zone in Gaza. Gaza’s Civil Defense reports that the overnight attack between September 9 and 10, 2024, resulted in 40 deaths and 60 injuries.
The casualties occurred in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian area in Khan Younes. Mohammed Al-Mughair, a Gaza Civil Defense official, stated, “We recovered 40 martyrs and 60 injured, who were then transported to nearby hospitals.” He also expressed concerns for “15 individuals missing after the strike targeted the displacement tents in Al-Mawasi”.
A Devastated Landscape Post-Strike
Following the strike, the humanitarian zone was left in ruins. Massive craters from the explosion were reported, and “entire families have vanished,” lamented another civil defense spokesperson, Mahmoud Basal.
Additionally, “20 to 40 tents were completely destroyed,” worsening the shortage of tools and equipment needed for rescue operations.
New carnage in Khan Younes! Last night, intense Israeli airstrikes on Al Mawasi displaced persons camp (“safe zone”): 20 tents utterly destroyed, 40 dead, 60 injured, craters up to 9 meters deep..#Gazapic.twitter.com/XothMSkCP3 pic.twitter.com/wmKPwocy6A
— Anne Tuaillon (@AnneTuaillon) September 10, 2024
Israel Targets Hamas, Hamas Denies
Israel claimed the attack targeted a “Hamas command center”. The Israeli military alleged it had identified the presence of Hamas leaders in the area, justifying the strike.
“Terrorist organizations in Gaza continue to systematically misuse civilian and humanitarian infrastructure, including the designated humanitarian zone, to conduct terrorist activities against the State of Israel and IDF troops,” it stated in a press release.
However, Hamas refuted these claims, denying any fighters were in the humanitarian zone. “The occupation’s (Israel’s) allegations of resistance fighters’ presence is a blatant lie,” it declared in a statement on Telegram.