At least 40 individuals have lost their lives and many more have sustained injuries due to Israeli airstrikes on a designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza, according to sources from the local Civil Defence authority.
The Israeli military reported that their aircraft targeted an operational center in Khan Younis linked to Hamas militants, asserting that precautions were taken to minimize civilian casualties. Local residents indicated that three airstrikes specifically hit tents sheltering displaced individuals in the al-Mawasi area, resulting in substantial damage.
According to an official from the Civil Defence authority, “Forty people were killed, and over 60 were injured, with many trapped under the rubble.” Eyewitnesses described large explosions shaking the al-Mawasi region shortly after midnight, with flames visibly rising into the night sky.
A local volunteer, Khaled Mahmoud, recounted observing the aftermath and how he and fellow volunteers rushed to assist. “The strikes created three deep craters and buried over 20 tents,” he detailed, emphasizing the scale of the devastation.
Unconfirmed footage reportedly shows civilians working fervently to rescue those trapped beneath the debris from the airstrikes. An Israeli military spokesperson stated that the airstrikes were directed at “key terrorists of Hamas operating within a command and control complex disguised in a humanitarian area of Khan Younis.”
The spokesperson added, “Prior measures to reduce civilian harm included precision weaponry and extensive intelligence.” They also accused terrorist organizations in Gaza of misusing the civilian population and infrastructure for militant activities.
Hamas has firmly rejected the Israeli military’s assertions, labeling them as “blatant” falsehoods. A spokesperson for Hamas stated, “The resistance has consistently denied any military presence among civilian gatherings.”
Since the onset of Israel’s military operations in October, thousands of displaced Palestinians have sought refuge in Khan Younis. The current ground campaign was initiated in response to a significant attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli fatalities and 251 hostages taken. Since then, the death toll in Gaza has exceeded 40,900, as reported by the local health ministry.
