Israeli airstrikes kill at least 40 Palestinians at displacement camp

Israeli airstrikes on a tent camp for displaced Palestinians killed at least 40 people and injured 60 others in southern Gaza on early Tuesday, while Israel’s military said it targeted a Hamas command centre.

Residents and medics said a tent encampment near Khan Younis in the Al-Mawasi area, a designated humanitarian zone, was struck by at least four missiles. The camp is crowded with displaced Palestinians who have fled from elsewhere in the territory. 

The Gaza civil emergency service said at least 20 tents caught on fire, and missiles caused craters as deep as nine meters (30 feet). 

There was no immediate comment from the Gaza health ministry, which compiles casualty figures. Earlier, the Hamas-aligned Shehab News Agency said 40 Palestinians were killed. 

"Our teams are still moving out martyrs and wounded from the targeted area. It looks like a new Israeli massacre," a Gaza civil emergency official said.

The official added that teams have been struggling to search for victims who might have been buried.

The Israeli military said it, "struck significant Hamas terrorists who were operating within a command and control centre embedded inside the Humanitarian Area in Khan Younis."

"The terrorists advanced and carried out terror attacks against IDF troops and the state of Israel," the statement said, referring to the Israeli Defence Forces.

Hamas denied Israeli allegations gunmen existed in the targeted area and rejected accusations it exploited civilian areas for military purposes.

"This is a clear lie that aims to justify these ugly crimes. The resistance has denied several times that any of its members exist within civilian gatherings or using these places for military purposes," said Hamas in a statement.

Ambulances raced between the tent camp and a nearby hospital, while Israeli jets could still be heard overhead, residents said.

Nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been forced from their homes at least once, and some have had to flee as many as 10 times.

The most recent conflict was triggered on October 7 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent assault on Gaza has killed more than 40,900 Palestinians, according to the enclave's health ministry.

The two warring sides each blame the other for a failure so far to reach a ceasefire that would end the fighting and see the release of hostages.