Israeli attack on Al-Mawasi camp kills 40 sleeping Palestinians

A deadly Israeli attack on the Al-Mawasi refugee camp in southern Gaza killed at least 40 Palestinians and injured 60 others. The sheer magnitude of the attack left 30-foot craters on the site of the camp.

The Israeli airstrike targeted at least 20 tents early Tuesday morning when innocent Palestinian civilians were sleeping.

The tents were crowded as the occupation army declared the area a 'safe zone' after a military offensive in Khan Younis.

Rescue workers found 9 metres (30 ft) deep craters at the camp while retrieving bodies of victims from the rubble. Videos in the aftermath of the attack showed scenes of chaos and destruction at the camp.

According to Gaza's Civil Defence Agency, the attack was "one of the most heinous massacres in this frenzied war."

TRIGGER WARNING: Following video cotains visuals that may be disturbing to some viewers.

20 displacement tents were completely wiped out due to the bloody massacre Israeli occupation committed in the Al Mawasi area in Khan Younis, where the bombing left holes nine meters deep. pic.twitter.com/5xgG53agGW

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) September 9, 2024

The Israeli authorities said that the attack was carried out to target Hamas members, who were operating a command and control centre in Khan Younis.

In a statement, the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that its army took steps to "mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional means."

Hamas denied Israeli claims that its operatives were inside the camp and accused Israel of spreading lies to conceal war crimes in Gaza.

Despite the orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to cease military operations in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army has intensified its attacks on the enclave while simultaneously imposing an aid blockade on starving Palestinians.

The overall Palestinian death toll since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza has reached at least 40,939 with more than 93,534 wounded. Thousands more remain trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings.