Bombardment close to refugee camps in the Gaza Strip: ICRC confirms more than 20 casualties
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced that an attack on the refugee camp in Al-Mawasi caused a surge of casualties to the nearby Red Cross field hospital. Reportedly, there were 22 fatalities and 45 injuries, with further casualties suspected. The camp, situated near the ICRC office, houses hundreds of refugees in tents. The ICRC expressed concern over attacks near humanitarian installations, claiming such attacks endanger both civilians and Red Cross workers. The locations are well-known to the conflicting parties and are clearly marked with the Red Cross emblem.
ICRC officials have stated that this security incident is one of several in recent days, with their sites having previously been targeted. The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza reported 25 fatalities and 50 injuries from the attack, while the Israeli army alleged that they attacked displaced persons' tents near Al-Mawasi.
However, a spokesperson for the Israeli army maintains that there is no evidence to suggest the army executed an attack in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone. The situation is currently under investigation.
In addition, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry reported that an additional 30 people were killed north of Gaza City on Friday, while the Palestinian Civil Defense reported five fatalities from an attack on a garage in Gaza City. On the other hand, the Israeli military reported that two of their soldiers were killed in Gaza on Friday.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza resulted from a large-scale assault by Hamas on Israel, which, according to Israeli reports, resulted in the deaths of 1194 people and the capture of 251 hostages in Gaza. Since then, Israel has been engaged in extensive military operations in Gaza. As per the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry's unverified reports, over 37,430 people have been killed since the conflict began.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern over the potential escalation of the conflict. He stated, "The risk of conflict escalation in the Middle East is real. The people in the region and the people around the world cannot afford for Lebanon to become another Gaza." Guterres also criticized the increasingly aggressive rhetoric from both parties. He warned that an overreaction or miscalculation could lead to a catastrophe that extends beyond the border and anyone's imagination.
Since the onset of the conflict in Gaza, Iran-backed and Hamas-allied Hezbollah has launched rockets and drones at Israel. This has already forced tens of thousands of Israelis to flee their homes, with recent days seeing increased threats to the north of Israel. In response, the Israeli army has escalated attacks on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon.
On Tuesday, the Israeli army decided on a deployment plan for a potential offensive in Lebanon, with Foreign Minister Israel Katz threatening Hezbollah with their annihilation in a "comprehensive war."
