The attack is said to have taken place against a refugee camp in the al-Mawasi district. According to Al-Jazeera, Israel has previously said that the camp is to be considered a safe humanitarian zone, and many refugees have gathered there.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health, which is controlled by Hamas, called the attack a “terrible massacre” on Telegram. Images from the scene show how black smoke rises into the sky while people flee, many carrying the injured.
War between Israel and Hamas
The death toll rises after the attack on the school building: “We have been destroyed”
This is why Swedes travel to Lebanon – despite the Foreign Ministry’s advice
Staff at the nearby Nasser Hospital have been overwhelmed by the number of dead and wounded coming in and the situation at the hospital is described as “no longer functional”, reports Reuters.
IDF: Hamas leaders targeted
According to several Israeli media, Israel’s military, the IDF, has stated that the aim of the attack was to kill Mohammed Deif, Hamas’s military chief. Deif has been described as one of the masterminds behind the October 7 attack.
Whether Deif is one of those killed in Saturday’s attack is unclear. However, Hamas tells Reuters that no leader was the victim of the attack and a media official believes that:
– The truth is that these claims are an attempt to hide the extent of the crime.
The IDF claims it is still “checking and verifying the outcome of the strike.”
Later on Saturday, there were reports of another attack on a refugee camp west of Gaza City. At least 10 people have died there, according to local health care staff, according to Reuters.
Most recently, on July 10, the IDF carried out an attack on a school building in Khan Yunis, and about 30 Palestinians died. Even then, Israel believed that the attack was aimed at a member of Hamas.
Javascript must be enabled to play video
“Rocket after rocket,” the eyewitness heard in southern Gaza. Photo: Reuters