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Rabat – An Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) airstrike on the Al-Mawasi displaced persons camp in southern Gaza has resulted in at least 71 deaths and over 289 injuries, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
The camp, which had been designated as a “humanitarian zone” by Israeli authorities, is home to tens of thousands of Palestinians who have fled ongoing hostilities.
The strike occurred today, prompting a wave of condemnation from the Health Ministry, which labeled the attack a “heinous massacre by the occupation against citizens and displaced persons.”
Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for Civil Defense, described the scene as catastrophic.
“Many bodies of martyrs remain scattered in the streets, under the rubble, and around the displaced persons’ tents, which cannot be reached due to intense occupation fire,” Basal reported to AFP, calling the incident a “new massacre.”
The Al-Mawasi area, situated on the coast between Rafah and Khan Younis, had been declared a “humanitarian zone” by Israel, ostensibly providing a safe haven for displaced persons.
In May, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that between 60,000 and 75,000 people were residing in the area, having sought refuge from escalating violence in Rafah.
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Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly highlighted the dire living conditions in the camp.
Overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, and limited access to medical care have compounded the struggles of the camp’s residents, who now face the additional threat of airstrikes.
International aid agencies have called for urgent action to protect the lives of those in the camp and to ensure that humanitarian zones are respected by all parties involved.
But, the latest Israeli Israeli strike underscores both the precarious situation in GazaT and Israel’s defiance of a growing international opposition to its war on Gaza. Tragically, Gaza civilians bear the brunt of the ongoing violence and seem to have no place left to hide from the onslaught of relentless Israeli attacks.
