The assault is without doubt one of the deadliest of the almost three-month-long conflict.
At least 70 folks have been killed in an Israeli air assault in central Gaza’s al-Maghazi refugee camp, based on the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The ministry’s spokesman, Ashraf al-Qudra, late on Sunday stated the toll is prone to rise.
“What is happening at the al-Maghazi camp is a massacre that is being committed on a crowded residential square,” he stated.
Dozens extra are reported to be injured and a number of other homes have been destroyed within the assault as households dig by means of the rubble in an try to search out survivors.
“We were all targeted,” stated 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, stated the al-Magahzi refugee camp is without doubt one of the most densely-populated areas in the midst of the Gaza Strip.
He stated it was one of many locations the Israeli navy had beforehand instructed the Palestinians in Gaza to evacuate to. Now the camp has been “completely flattened”, he stated.
“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,” stated Azzoum.
He in contrast the assault with one on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza final week, through which at the least 90 folks had been killed.
The al-Maghazi camp was attacked final month as effectively when at the least 50 Palestinians had been killed.
Azzoum stated the camp’s surrounding areas had been subjected to intense Israeli shelling within the final couple of days.
The nearest 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 p.c of the two.3 million individuals who stay there.
“The entire medical care system in Gaza Strip is deteriorating and [is] on the edge of collapse,” stated Azzoum.
Hamas known as the air assault on the al-Maghazi camp “a horrific massacre” and stated it was “a new war crime”.
Israel’s navy spokesperson’s workplace stated it was wanting into experiences of the assault.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/24/israeli-forces-massacre-at-least-70-people-in-gazas-maghazi-refugee-camp?traffic_source=rss
