An Israeli airstrike on a densely populated tent camp in Gaza, designated as a humanitarian zone, killed at least 40 Palestinians and wounded 60 others early Tuesday, according to Palestinian officials. The camp, located in Muwasi along the Gaza coast, is home to Palestinians displaced by the ongoing war. Israel claimed the strike targeted key Hamas militants operating from the camp, a claim that Hamas denied.
This strike marks one of the deadliest incidents in Muwasi, a region Israel identified as a safe zone for civilians during the Israel-Hamas conflict. Palestinian first responders, under the Hamas-led government, reported recovering 40 bodies from the rubble, with many victims identified as entire families.
Witnesses described the devastation. Attaf al-Shaar, a displaced resident from Rafah, recounted the chaos, saying, “The people were buried in the sand. They were retrieved as body parts.”
Hospitals in the southern Gaza region, including Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, received dozens of casualties. Israeli military officials stated they had targeted Hamas operatives working in a command-and-control centre in the camp. They stressed efforts to minimize civilian casualties through precision strikes and surveillance. However, civilian areas have often been affected, as militants operate from residential zones.
The ongoing war, sparked by Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, has displaced approximately 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. Despite Israel’s designation of Muwasi as a humanitarian zone, it has faced intermittent strikes.
The conflict has caused significant casualties, with Gaza’s Health Ministry reporting over 40,000 Palestinian deaths since the war began. The ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its counts. Hamas militants are responsible for killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, during their initial attack and have taken 250 hostages, some of whom remain in captivity.
Efforts to mediate a ceasefire, led by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, have yet to succeed, with each side accusing the other of making unreasonable demands.
The conflict has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with aid organizations struggling to provide support amid constant fighting and Israeli restrictions. Hunger levels have escalated to critical levels, with the international authority on food security warning that Gaza is at risk of famine.
Adding to the humanitarian challenges, Israel recently halted a UN convoy that was conducting a polio vaccination campaign, detaining staff and damaging vehicles. The vaccination drive, aimed at immunizing 640,000 children, remains uncertain due to the ongoing conflict.