A street filled with rubble from destroyed buildings after an Israeli attack on Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, June 22, 2024. The attack reportedly caused casualties, including children.
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The head of the Hamas-run government media office said at least 42 people were killed in Israeli military attacks on the Palestinian-controlled northern Gaza City area on Saturday.
Israeli forces struck a home in al-Shatti, one of eight historic refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, killing 24 people, Ismail al-Sawabuta told Reuters. An attack on a home in the al-Tufa neighborhood killed 18 more Palestinians.
The Israeli military issued a brief statement saying: “Shortly ago, IDF warplanes struck two Hamas military infrastructure facilities in the Gaza City area.”
More details are expected to be announced soon.
Hamas did not comment on Israeli allegations that it had attacked military installations in the country. In a statement it said the attacks were aimed at civilians and vowed that “the occupying forces and their Nazi leaders will pay a price for their violations against our people.”
Footage seen by Reuters showed dozens of Palestinians rushing to search for victims inside destroyed homes. Footage also showed destroyed houses, blown-out walls and rubble and dust strewn across the streets of Shati refugee camp.
Israel on the ground and in the air Campaign in Gaza The incident began on Oct. 7 when Hamas-led militants invaded southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to an Israeli tally.
The attacks have left Gaza in ruins, killed more than 37,400 people, 101 of them in the past 24 hours, according to Palestinian health officials, and left almost the entire population homeless and impoverished.
More than eight months into the war, Israeli forces are concentrating their advance on the last two areas they have yet to seize: around Rafah on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip, and Deir al-Bala in the center.
Residents said Israeli tanks have intensified their advance into the western and northern Rafah area in recent days. On Saturday, Israeli forces bombed several locations from the air and ground, forcing many families living in what is considered a humanitarian zone to flee north.
The Israeli army said its forces continued “precise, informed” targeted operations in Rafah, killing numerous Palestinian militants and destroying military infrastructure.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Friday that at least 25 Palestinians were killed and 50 wounded in the town of Mawashi, west of Rafah, when Palestinians said tank shells hit tents housing displaced people.
The Israeli army said the incident was under investigation. “Initial investigations carried out suggest that there are no signs of an IDF (Israel Defense Forces) attack in the humanitarian area of al-Mawasi,” the army said.
