Gaza’s civil defence agency reports that a series of Israeli air strikes have killed at least 37 people, most of them in makeshift camps sheltering displaced civilians, as Israel continues its military campaign in the Palestinian territory.
The Israeli military has not yet issued an official response but said it is reviewing the reports. The strikes came as Hamas leaders indicated they were close to concluding internal discussions on Israel’s latest ceasefire proposal.
According to civil defence spokesperson Mahmud Bassal, two Israeli missiles struck several tents in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, killing at least 16 people—most of them women and children—and injuring 23 others.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as explosions tore through the crowded camp. “We were sitting peacefully in the tent, under God’s protection, when we suddenly saw something red glowing — and then the tent exploded, and the surrounding tents caught fire,” Israa Abu al-Rus told AFP. “This is supposed to be a safe area in Al-Mawasi. We fled toward the sea and saw the tents burning.”
Al-Mawasi was designated a “safe zone” by Israel in December 2023, prompting tens of thousands of Palestinians to seek shelter in its coastal dunes. However, the area has since been struck multiple times, leading to a rising civilian toll.
Bassal said Israeli airstrikes also targeted two other camps for displaced people, killing nine more—seven in the northern town of Beit Lahia and a father and son near Al-Mawasi.
Additionally, the civil defence agency reported two attacks in Jabalia: one strike killed at least seven members of the Asaliya family, and another hit a school-turned-shelter, killing three people. In Gaza City’s Shujaiya neighborhood, two people were reportedly killed by Israeli shelling.
