Israel used 2,000-pound rocket to kill Palestinians sheltering in Al-Mawasi camp: report

A devastating Israeli attack on the Al-Mawasi refugee camp in southern Gaza has left a trail of death and destruction on Tuesday.

At least 40 Palestinians were killed and 60 others injured in the early morning strike on September 10.

The attack targeted an encampment in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, where Palestinians were sheltering in tents.

According to local media, the strike occurred near a field hospital run by the British charity UK-Med.

Rescuers searching for survivors found massive craters, up to 9 metres (30 feet) deep, at the tent camp, indicating the immense power of the Israeli attack.

Gaza's civil defense described the attack as "one of the most heinous massacres in this frenzied war".

Following the massacre, the Israeli military claimed it was targeting a Hamas command centre in the area.

However, the claims were denied by the Palestinian resistance group, calling it a "clear lie" aimed at justifying the attack. 

"The resistance has denied several times that any of its members exist within civilian gatherings or using these places for military purposes,” Hamas said in a statement.

Israeli MK rocket used in the attack weighed 2,000 pounds, which resulted in three massive holes in the ground, according to Al-Quds News Network.

Key information on the heavy missiles dropped by Israeli warplanes on innocent civilians last night in the Al-Mawasi region. pic.twitter.com/N2LXXFJNCx

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) September 10, 2024

The attack was part of a pattern of Israeli strikes on areas where civilians had been directed to evacuate and were deemed safe zones by the Israeli military. 

Israel's military offensives in Gaza since Oct 7 have resulted in devastating losses, with over 40,000 Palestinians killed, including 16,456 children and 11,000 women.

The United Nations (UN) reported that two-thirds of buildings across the Gaza Strip have been "damaged or destroyed." Israeli attacks have also killed at least 270 aid workers.

The restrictions on food, water, medicine, and fuel supplies have exacerbated the situation in Gaza.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) directed Israel to ensure basic services and humanitarian aid delivery in the besieged enclave.

The Palestinian government's information office reported that almost 1.7 million Gazans have been displaced due to relentless air and artillery strikes by the Israeli military.

Thousands of children in Gaza have been diagnosed with malnutrition, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

“A significant proportion of Gaza’s population is now facing catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom said on June 12 while talking to reporters.

Earlier, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) head Cindy McCain said people in Gaza are starving to death.

"The speed at which this man-made hunger and malnutrition crisis has ripped through Gaza is terrifying,” he added.

“To have 50 percent of an entire population in catastrophic, near-famine levels, is unprecedented,” Beth Bechdol, the deputy director general of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), said.

The WFP estimated that around 1.1 million people are "struggling with catastrophic hunger and starvation" due to Israel's severe restrictions on food, water, medicine, and fuel supplies to the besieged enclave.