Israeli Airstrike Hits Humanitarian Zone in Gaza, Killing 13

An Israeli airstrike overnight in a designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza has reportedly killed at least 13 people, according to a local hospital. The strike, which hit a tented camp in al-Mawasi, near Khan Younis, left large craters, some as deep as 7 meters (23 feet), as reported by local residents.

The Israeli military stated that the strike targeted senior Hamas commanders operating in the area, an accusation that Hamas has denied. The military also contested the death toll announced by the Hamas-run Civil Defence, which claimed over 40 bodies had been recovered by rescue teams.

Al-Mawasi has become a refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians following Israeli orders to evacuate for their safety. Eyewitnesses recounted hearing explosions just after midnight, with flames lighting up the sky. Khaled Mahmoud, a local charity volunteer, described the devastation, saying over 20 tents were buried by the explosions.

According to the director of Civil Defence operations, more than 40 people were killed, and over 60 were injured, with many feared trapped under the rubble. However, Gaza's health ministry has yet to confirm the casualty figures.

Nasser hospital in Khan Younis later reported receiving 13 bodies from the attack.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the strike was aimed at high-ranking Hamas officials, including Samer Abu Daqqa, head of Hamas's aerial unit, and Osama Tabesh, a leader in Hamas’s military intelligence. The IDF argued that Hamas had embedded its operatives in civilian areas, using the humanitarian zone as cover for their operations.

Hamas condemned the airstrike, labeling it a “massacre” and dismissing Israel's claims of a command center in the area as “false.” They reaffirmed that they do not use civilian gatherings for military activities.

The strike is part of Israel's broader military campaign against Hamas, following the group's surprise attack on southern Israel on 7 October, which resulted in over 1,200 Israeli deaths and more than 250 hostages taken to Gaza. The war has since claimed over 40,980 lives in Gaza, according to local health authorities, with widespread displacement affecting over 80% of the population.