At least 40 people have been killed and more than 60 injured in Israeli airstrikes on a designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence authority. The strikes occurred in the al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis, during the early hours of Monday morning.
The Israeli military stated that its aircraft targeted a Hamas operations centre in the area, emphasising that measures had been taken to mitigate civilian harm. However, local eyewitnesses described devastating scenes, with large explosions rocking the al-Mawasi zone, an area known to house displaced families in temporary shelters. Flames were seen rising into the sky following the strikes, creating widespread destruction.
Khaled Mahmoud, a volunteer with a charity based near the site, expressed shock at the magnitude of the disaster. “The strikes created three craters seven metres deep and buried more than 20 tents,” he said, recounting the desperate efforts of volunteers to rescue survivors.
First responders, operating under the Hamas-controlled local authorities, reported that 40 bodies had been recovered so far, while many people remained trapped under the rubble. Entire families are feared to have been killed in the blasts, which targeted tents housing civilians displaced by the ongoing conflict.
The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, one of three medical centres receiving casualties, reported that approximately two dozen bodies had been brought in following the strikes. Medical staff are continuing to treat dozens of injured individuals.
The al-Mawasi zone was designated as a humanitarian area, providing shelter to displaced families amid the escalating violence in the region. The Israeli military reiterated that the strike was part of a broader effort to target Hamas fighters, but the scale of civilian casualties has raised concerns about the safety of Israeli declared humanitarian zones in Gaza.