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| July 2024 Al-Mawasi airstrikes | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Israel–Hamas war | |
  Al-Mawasi | |
| Location | Al-Mawasi, Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip |
| Date | 13 July 2024 |
| Target | Mohammed Deif |
| Attack type | Airstrikes, massacre |
| Deaths | 71+ Palestinians |
| Injured | 289+ Palestinians |
| Perpetrator |  Israeli Air Force |
On 13 July 2024, Israeli airstrikes attacked the Al-Mawasi humanitarian "safe zone", a displacement camp in the western outskirts of Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, in an alleged attempt to assassinate the military commander of Hamas, Mohammed Deif. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 71 Palestinians were killed, while another 289 were injured.
Background
During the Israel–Hamas war, many civilians in Gaza Strip were ordered to evacuate to humanitarian safe zones. In the weeks preceding the attacks, Israel had expanded the "safe zone" to include parts of Khan Yunis, causing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to take shelter in Al-Mawasi, on the orders of the IDF. A top target for the IDF and allegedly one of the masterminds behind the 7 October attacks, Mohammed Deif is known for escaping and surviving several assassination attempts by Israel.
Airstrikes
The Israeli attack targeted several tents housing displaced Palestinians and a water distillation unit in the area, as well as a separate house located some distance away. According to Al Jazeera, Al-Mawasi was hit by five bombs and five missiles. Eyewitnesses reported that the site of the airstrike looked like an "earthquake" had hit. According to Medical Aid for Palestinians, Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis is "overwhelmed" and unable to take in the large numbers of wounded patients.
Aftermath
The IDF said that it was in the process of verifying whether Mohammed Deif was killed in the airstrikes.
Reactions
Israel: The Israel Defense Forces said Mohammed Deif and the commander of Hamas in Khan Younis were in the compound. The IDF stated: "Our attack in Mawasi Khan Yunis targets Al-Deif, the commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade, Rafi Salama, and other Hamas activists". It has also claimed that it acted on "precise intelligence" to hit an area where "two senior Hamas terrorists" were hiding.
Hamas: Hamas dismissed the IDF's claims that it had killed Mohammed Deif, labeling them as "false allegations" that aimed to "cover up the scale of the horrific massacre". Hamas also stated that "It is not the first time Israel claims to target Palestinian leaders, only to be proven false later". In a statement, Hamas announced: "The al-Mawasi massacre in Khan Younis has been committed against an area that is crowded with more than 80,000 displaced people. This is an obvious and clear confirmation from the Zionist government that it will continuing its war of extermination against our Palestinian people, through repeatedly and systematically targeting the defenceless displaced civilians in tents, shelters and residential neighbourhoods".
References
- ^ "Dozens dead after Israeli air strikes target top Hamas commander". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- ^ "Over 70 killed in Israeli strikes on al-Mawasi 'safe zone' in south Gaza". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- ^ "Hamas-run health ministry says at least 71 killed in strike on Gaza's al Mawasi". BBC News. 2024-07-13. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- Diamond, Jeremy (2024-07-13). "Israel targets Hamas military chief in strike Palestinian officials say killed at least 70 people". CNN. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- זיתון, יואב (2024-07-13). "צה"ל מאשר: ניסינו לחסל את מוחמד דף במתחם מחבלים, מחכים לתוצאות התקיפה". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- Bisset, Victoria; Chamaa, Mohamad El (2024-07-13). "Israel targets Hamas military leader; 71 killed in Mawasi strike, officials say". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
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