The assault is without doubt one of the deadliest of the almost three-month-long struggle.
At the least 70 folks have been killed in an Israeli air assault in central Gaza’s al-Maghazi refugee camp, in keeping with the Palestinian Well being Ministry.
The ministry’s spokesman, Ashraf al-Qudra, late on Sunday mentioned the toll is more likely to rise.
“What is happening at the al-Maghazi camp is a massacre that is being committed on a crowded residential square,” he mentioned.
Dozens extra are reported to be injured and a number of other homes have been destroyed within the assault as households dig by way of the rubble in an try to search out survivors.
“We were all targeted,” mentioned Ahmad Turokmani, who misplaced a number of members of the family together with his daughter and grandson. “There is no safe place in Gaza anyway.”
Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Rafah in southern Gaza, mentioned the al-Magahzi refugee camp is without doubt one of the most densely-populated areas in the midst of the Gaza Strip.
He mentioned it was one of many locations the Israeli army had beforehand informed the Palestinians in Gaza to evacuate to. Now the camp has been “completely flattened”, he mentioned.
“The vast majority of the casualties right now have been among civilians, including [a] two weeks [old] baby that has been killed in cold blood in this genocide,” mentioned Azzoum.
He in contrast the assault with one on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza final week, during which a minimum of 90 folks have been killed.
The al-Maghazi camp was attacked final month as nicely when a minimum of 50 Palestinians have been killed.
Azzoum mentioned the camp’s surrounding areas had been subjected to intense Israeli shelling within the final couple of days.
The closest hospital to the camp is the Al-Aqsa Hospital however well being amenities have been rendered non-functional throughout Gaza as Israel continues to bombard the territory for a 3rd month, killing greater than 20,400 Palestinians since October 7 and displacing greater than 80 % of the two.3 million individuals who dwell there.
“The entire medical care system in Gaza Strip is deteriorating and [is] on the edge of collapse,” mentioned Azzoum.
Hamas known as the air assault on the al-Maghazi camp “a horrific massacre” and mentioned it was “a new war crime”.
Israel’s army spokesperson’s workplace mentioned it was wanting into experiences of the assault.