Gaza Health Ministry Reports 25 Dead 50 Injured in Israeli Attack on Al-Mawasi Tents

In a statement, the Health Ministry in Gaza reported that the death toll from the Israeli attack on tents in Al-Mawasi had risen to 25 with 50 others injured.

Earlier medical sources told Anadolu that rescue teams recovered the bodies of 18 victims and treated 35 injured people after Israeli tanks targeted the displaced persons camp.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society confirmed the incident noting that its medical teams were handling a large number of casualties following the Israeli shelling in the area

Witnesses reported to Anadolu that two Israeli Merkava tanks positioned on a hill opposite the Shakoush area in western Rafah fired artillery shells at a gathering of displaced people near the gate of the International Committee of the Red Cross field hospital resulting in multiple casualties.

Ambulances rushed to the scene to transport the dead and injured to field hospitals and rescue operations are ongoing.

The shelling caused tents to catch fire spreading fear and panic among the displaced people. Witnesses described a significant exodus from the tents toward Khan Younis in the north.

The Israeli army had directed Palestinian displaced persons to gather in the Al-Mawasi coastal strip claiming it to be a safe zone. This area spans 12 kilometers 7.5 miles along the Mediterranean coast and extends one kilometer inland.

The Al-Mawasi region lacks residential infrastructure including sewage systems electricity lines and communication networks. Most of the land is divided into agricultural greenhouses or sandy expanses.

Displaced people living in the area face dire conditions with severe shortages of basic resources such as water sanitation medical care and food.

Despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued offensive on Gaza following an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas