At least 14 Palestinians lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike on a tent encampment in Khan Younis, located in the southern Gaza Strip, medics and Hamas media reported early Tuesday. The Israeli military stated that the strike targeted a Hamas command centre.
According to residents and medics, the encampment in the Al-Mawasi area, designated as a humanitarian zone, was hit by at least four missiles. This camp houses many displaced Palestinians who have fled from other parts of the enclave. The Gaza civil emergency service reported that at least 20 tents caught fire, and craters as deep as nine metres were created by the missiles.
A Gaza civil emergency official said their teams were still retrieving bodies and injured individuals from the targeted area, describing the event as resembling a new massacre.
The Israeli military claimed it targeted significant Hamas terrorists operating within a command and control centre embedded inside the humanitarian area in Khan Younis. The statement mentioned these terrorists had advanced and carried out attacks against IDF troops and Israel.
Residents noted that ambulances were continuously shuttling from the strike zone to a nearby hospital, with Israeli jets still audible overhead. Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced at least once, with some having to flee up to 10 times.
The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas, the Islamist group controlling Gaza, attacked Israel, resulting in 1,200 deaths and about 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s subsequent actions in Gaza have resulted in more than 40,900 Palestinian deaths, as reported by Gaza’s health ministry. Both sides hold the other responsible for the failure to reach a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages.
What Other Media Are Saying
- Reuters reports that Israeli airstrikes on a Gaza tent encampment killed and wounded 65 people, highlighting the humanitarian crisis in the region. (read more)
- Al Jazeera reports that at least 40 people have been killed and 60 injured in an Israeli attack on a tent camp in Gaza, with eyewitnesses describing scenes of chaos and craters up to 9 meters deep. (read more)
- The Guardian reports on the latest Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, Gaza, targeting a humanitarian zone, resulting in numerous Palestinian casualties and escalating tensions. (read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
How many Palestinians were killed in the Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis?
At least 14 Palestinians were killed.
What was targeted by the Israeli military in Khan Younis?
What happened to the tents in the Al-Mawasi area?
At least 20 tents caught on fire.
How many times have Gaza’s residents been displaced?
Some have been displaced up to 10 times.
What triggered the current conflict between Hamas and Israel?
Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7.