GAZA – An Israeli military operation in the early hours of Thursday resulted in the death of at least 10 Palestinians, including women and children, in a tent encampment located in Al-Mawasi, southern Gaza Strip, according to medics. The area had been previously designated as a safe haven for civilians amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas, now in its 15th month. Additionally, 15 people were reported injured in the strike.
The victims included Mahmoud Salah, the director general of Gaza’s police department, and his aide, Hussam Shahwan, as confirmed by the Gaza interior ministry run by Hamas. In response to the incident, the ministry stated, “By committing the crime of assassinating the director general of police in the Gaza Strip, the occupation is insisting on spreading chaos in the (enclave) and deepening the human suffering of citizens.”
The Israeli military, on its part, confirmed conducting an intelligence-based strike in Al-Mawasi, targeting what they described as a significant Hamas security figure, Hussam Shahwan, without acknowledging the death of Mahmoud Salah.
This latest attack adds to the devastating toll of the conflict, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting over 45,500 Palestinian deaths. The war has displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, reducing much of the densely populated coastal strip to rubble.
The conflict erupted following a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, in southern Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of 251 people into Gaza, as per Israeli counts.
The incident in Al-Mawasi raises further questions about the safety of civilians in areas designated for humanitarian protection and the ongoing impact of the war on the Palestinian population.
