By Nakiwala Barbra
At least 13 people have been killed in a midnight Israeli strike in the designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza, according to a local hospital.
The strike, which occurred in the al-Mawasi area southwest of the city of Khan Younis, left three 23-foot-deep craters.
The Israeli army claimed that the strike targeted “several senior Hamas terrorists” in the area, including Hamas commander Samer Abu Daqqa and Osama Tabesh. However, Hamas denied these claims and denounced the strike as a “heinous massacre.”
The strike took place in an area where hundreds of thousands of people from other parts of Gaza had been evacuated for their safety, resulting in dire conditions for the displaced Palestinians. Eyewitnesses reported large explosions and significant destruction in the area.
The Civil Defense’s operations director stated that more than 40 people were killed and over 60 others were injured, with many still feared to be trapped under the rubble. The Israeli military justified the strike by accusing Hamas of using the humanitarian zone as a cover for its operatives and military infrastructure, while Hamas refuted these allegations.
The Israeli military launched the campaign in response to an attack by Hamas on southern Israel, resulting in a significant number of casualties and hostages.
The conflict has led to a high death toll and displacement of the population, with over 40,980 people killed and an estimated 1.9 million displaced individuals in Gaza.
