Israeli airstrikes on the al-Mawasi camp in southern Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least 90 people and injuries to 300 others, as confirmed by Palestinian health officials. The attack, which took place on Saturday in the Israeli-designated “safe zone” near Khan Younis, involved fighter jets and drones, according to witnesses. Israeli officials claim the attack was targeting two senior members of Hamas’s military wing who were allegedly hiding among civilians, but Hamas has dismissed this as false.
The situation on the ground is dire, with at least 90 civilians killed in a densely populated area that shelters around 80,000 people, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. Israeli warplanes targeted tents housing displaced Palestinians and a water distillation unit. Witnesses reported that the force of the strikes tore down tents and left bodies and body parts scattered on the ground.
The injured were taken to the severely understaffed Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, where rescue workers faced challenges from the Israeli army attacking crews on their way to help victims. The area has been repeatedly targeted by the Israeli military, with a previous strike in May killing at least 21 people.
Israeli officials claim the airstrikes were based on “precise intelligence” targeting Hamas terrorists hiding among civilians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that while it is not certain whether the Hamas officials were killed, the attack was beneficial to Israel and sends a message that Hamas’s days are numbered.
Palestinian leaders, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, condemned the attack as a war crime and called for international action to end the aggression. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa criticized Israel’s actions as genocidal crimes and part of a broader effort to undermine the Palestinian project.
International reactions have been swift, with countries like Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan, and Colombia condemning the attack and calling for accountability for Israeli abuses. The United Nations special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory expressed disgust at Israel’s impunity and called the attacks a breach of international law.