40 killed in Israeli strike on Gaza humanitarian zone
What's the story
A strike on a designated humanitarian zone in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, has resulted in the deaths of 40 people and injuries to 60 others.
The Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, previously declared a safe area by the Israeli military, was targeted.
This area had been a refuge for tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians since the onset of the war.
Ongoing recovery
Rescue efforts continue amid devastation
Mohammed Al-Mughair, a civil defense official, confirmed that rescue operations are still underway with 15 people reported missing following the strike.
"40 martyrs and 60 injured were recovered and transferred" to nearby hospitals," he told AFP.
Civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal stated that those seeking shelter in the camp had not been warned of the strike, adding that a shortage of tools and equipment was hindering rescue operations.
Conflicting claims
Israeli military and Hamas dispute strike targets
The Israeli military confirmed the strike but claimed that its aircraft had "struck significant Hamas terrorists" at a command center in the area.
They accused Hamas of "operating within a command and control center embedded inside the Humanitarian Area in Khan Yunis."
However, Hamas has refuted these allegations, calling them "a blatant lie" and stating that no fighters were present at the site.
Victim demographics
UN reports majority of victims were women, children
The United Nations human rights office has reported that most of the victims from the strike were women and children.
The Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, which once housed 1,200 inhabitants per square kilometer before the war, now accommodates "between 30,000 and 34,000 people per square kilometer," according to UN calculations.
The protected area has also reduced in size from 50 square kilometers to 41.
Stalled talks
Ceasefire negotiations remain stalled amid ongoing conflict
Despite mediation efforts by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to establish a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, negotiations are at a standstill.
Hamas is demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza as part of any agreement.
However, Israel insists that its troops must remain along the Gaza-Egypt border.