40 killed, 60 wounded In Israeli Strike On Al Mawasi

Gaza's civil defense agency reported on Tuesday that an Israeli strike in a humanitarian zone in southern Gaza killed 40 people and injured 60 others. The Israeli military said the strike targeted a Hamas command center in the area.

The strike hit Al-Mawasi in Khan Yunis, a city in southern Gaza, which had been declared a safe zone by the Israeli military earlier in the conflict. Many displaced Palestinians had taken refuge there. Despite this designation, Israel has conducted operations in and around the area, including a July strike that they claim killed a Hamas military leader, Mohammed Deif, though Gaza authorities said that attack killed over 90 people.

Mohammed Al-Mughair, a Gaza civil defense official, said 40 bodies and 60 injured people were taken to hospitals after the latest strike. He also noted that 15 people were still missing, likely buried under the debris. Another official, Mahmoud Basal, said that more than 20 to 40 tents were completely destroyed, leaving behind deep craters. He added that rescue efforts were being slowed down by a lack of equipment.

Israel's military stated that their aircraft had targeted "significant Hamas terrorists" operating within a command centre located in the humanitarian zone. They accused Hamas of using civilian areas and infrastructure to conduct their operations, a claim that Hamas denied, calling it a lie.

The conflict started after Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,205 deaths, mostly civilians. Israel reported that militants also captured 251 hostages during the attack, with 97 still in Gaza.

Israel's response has killed at least 40,988 people in Gaza, according to local health authorities, with the UN stating most of the casualties are women and children. The majority of Gaza's 2.4 million residents have been displaced at least once since the war began. The Al-Mawasi zone, which previously housed 1,200 people per square kilometre, now shelters between 30,000 and 34,000 people in the same area.

Efforts by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to negotiate a ceasefire and a hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas have stalled. Hamas is demanding a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel insists on maintaining a military presence along the Gaza-Egypt border.