Scores of people killed in Israeli airstrike according to Hamas

By Nathan Morley

Videos of the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike on Khan Younis shows plumes of smoke, and casualties being carried off on stretchers.

The densely populated Mawasi area where the attack happened, had apparently been designated by the Israeli military as a safe zone for displaced civilians.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) estimates that around 1.5 million people are currently taking shelter there. Many Palestinians took refuge in the area  after the start of the Israeli offensive on Rafah in May.

'A heinous massacre'

In a statement, the Gaza health ministry also reported nearly 300 wounded and denounced ‘a heinous massacre (...) against citizens and displaced persons.’

The Israeli army said it was examining reports of the incident, but some media reports suggest the IDF was targeting the head of Hamas's military wing, Mohammed Deif. He is thought to be one of the brains behind the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army announced on Saturday that it was continuing its operations in the Gaza Strip, particularly in Gaza city, where Israeli artillery and drone fire was reported.

As it stands, this conflict between Israel and Hamas has left 38,345 dead in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Palestinian health ministry. On the Israeli side, 1,195 people died - also mostly civilians - during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

Funding for UNRWA secured

Separately, funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for the Palestinians (UNRWA) has been secured until September. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said the organization had worked tirelessly with its partners to restore trust in the relief agency. His comments came after a donor conference at the UN headquarters in New York. Following new financial commitments, UNRWA can now continue its emergency aid projects until September.

At the donor conference, UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed to benefactors to continue funding the relief agency and thus save a ‘crucial lifeline’ for the Palestinians. There is ‘no alternative" to UNRWA, Guterres warned. Since the beginning of the Gaza war, 195 UNRWA employees have been killed in Gaza.