Humanitarian area in Gaza under attack by Israel: Regrettably, 40 deaths reported
After an attack in the civilian area of Al-Mawasi in Khan Younis, situated in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, the Civil Defense reported rescuing and transporting 40 deceased and 60 injured individuals to nearby medical facilities. A total of 15 people are still unaccounted for, according to Mahmud Basal, a spokesperson for the Civil Defense. He described the area as having entire families disappear, buried under the sand and in deep holes following the Mawasi-Khan Younis massacre.
The Israeli military accused "terrorist organizations" based in the Gaza Strip of utilizing civilian and humanitarian infrastructure, such as the designated humanitarian zone, to undertake violent activities against Israel. Hamas allegedly maintained a command center situated directly within the humanitarian zone in Khan Younis, according to the Israeli army's allegations.
The Israeli military later disputed the casualty figures reported by Gaza Strip authorities, which did not align with their own data. In response, Hamas asserted there were no combatants in the targeted area and labeled the Israeli Army's portrayal as a "blatant lie," disseminated via Telegram.
The UN Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, denounced the attack and emphasized the importance of respecting civilians' humanitarian rights, underscoring that "civilians should never serve as human shields." Turkey termed the Israeli killing of numerous Palestinians as a "massacre" and labeled it a "war crime."
Al-Mawasi was designated as a refuge for civilians by Israel at the onset of the Gaza War. Numerous Palestinians, displaced by the conflict, sought shelter there. The Israeli Army carries out sporadic attacks in the region, despite this.
The 11-month-long conflict between Israel and Hamas was initiated by the radical Islamic Hamas' brutal attack on Israel on October 7 last year. Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups were responsible for the killing of 1205 individuals and capturing 251 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
In response to the Hamas attack, Israel launched large-scale military operations in the Gaza Strip. As per Hamas (unverifiable), over 41,000 individuals have been killed in the Palestinian territory since October.
On Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Gallant stated that Hamas no longer functions as a "military organization" in the Gaza Strip. According to him, Hamas is leading a guerrilla war while Israel continues its pursuit of Hamas terrorists and their leadership.
The US, Qatar, and Egypt are mediating a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, with the potential for releasing all hostages being held in the Gaza Strip. Gallant highlighted that an agreement would present a "strategic opportunity" to enhance security across all fronts.
Direct negotiations between the two conflicting parties have stalled. While Hamas seeks a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as part of the agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on maintaining control in the Philadelphi Corridor at the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.
The conflict also escalated in the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967. Following the commencement of the war between Israel and the radical Islamic group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, on Sunday, a Jordanian at Allenby border crossing between Jordan and the West Bank killed three Israeli security personnel. The Jordanian authorities reopened the crossing on Tuesday, although it remained closed for cargo traffic, according to security sources.
The European Union expressed its concern over the escalating violence in the Gaza Strip and called for an immediate ceasefire, stating that civilians should be protected at all costs. The European Union also urged both Israel and Hamas to engage in direct negotiations to resolve the conflict.
