//Devastation in Gaza: Israeli Airstrikes Kill Dozens, Including Children, in Tent Camps for Displaced Civilians//
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| Witnesses told the BBC that flames spread rapidly between tents, causing dozens of deaths, including those of children/ |
At least 37 Palestinians have been killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes targeting areas in southern Gaza where displaced civilians were sheltering in makeshift tents. The al-Mawasi coastal zone, once declared a "safe zone" by Israeli forces, turned into a scene of horror as tents caught fire after a powerful blast on Wednesday night. Most victims were women and children, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency.
This attack has drawn international outrage, especially after horrifying images and verified videos showed charred tents, scattered belongings, and lifeless bodies, some burned beyond recognition. Eyewitnesses described waking to screams and flames spreading rapidly through their camp, with some families losing multiple members in an instant.
📍 Where Did the Airstrikes Hit?
The most deadly strike hit the al-Mawasi area near Khan Younis, where Israel had earlier instructed civilians to evacuate for safety. Two missiles reportedly struck the tent area directly, killing 16 people instantly, with 23 more injured. According to Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal, most of the victims were women and children.
Additional airstrikes occurred in:
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Beit Lahia (northern Gaza) – 7 killed
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Jabalia refugee camp – 10 killed, including an entire family of 7
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A school shelter – 3 killed in a separate attack
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed a strike in the Khan Younis area targeting what it claimed was a “Hamas terrorist”, but said it was reviewing civilian harm. However, it denied responsibility for other reported strikes in Beit Lahia.
💔 Eyewitnesses Describe Inferno in the Tents
Eyewitness reports collected by the BBC’s Gaza Lifeline programme paint a haunting picture of the attack's aftermath:
A displaced woman from Khan Younis said 10 members of her family died in their sleep. Another man attempted to throw sand on burning tents, but the fire was too intense.
🚨 UN and Humanitarian Groups Condemn the Attack
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said:
“Images of children burning while sheltering in makeshift tents should shake us all to our core.”
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) also confirmed that many of the casualties from al-Mawasi were either already dead on arrival or in critical condition, adding that the strike occurred dangerously close to their field office.
Meanwhile, 12 major humanitarian NGOs, including Oxfam and Save the Children, released a joint statement warning that Gaza’s humanitarian aid system is on the brink of total collapse.
🔥 Hamas Rejects Ceasefire Offer
In a parallel development, Hamas officially rejected Israel’s latest ceasefire offer. The offer proposed a 45-day ceasefire in exchange for 10 hostages. Hamas, however, offered to release all 59 hostages—24 believed to be alive—in exchange for a complete end to the war.
Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya stated:
This triggered a harsh response from Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said it was time to "open the gates of hell on Hamas."
🧭 Background: War, Blockades, and Escalation
Israel placed Gaza under a full blockade on March 1 and resumed its military campaign on March 18, following a short ceasefire. Since then:
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1,691 Palestinians have been killed in renewed Israeli attacks (Hamas-run health ministry).
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Over 500,000 people have been displaced due to new evacuation orders.
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Israel has now incorporated 30% of Gaza into what it calls “security zones.”
Israel maintains that the strikes are targeting terror infrastructure, including Hamas leadership. Earlier in the week, the IDF claimed it had killed Yahya Fathi Abd al-Qader Abu Shaar, head of Hamas' weapons smuggling operations.
📉 The Cost of War: 51,000+ Dead in Gaza
Since the war began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas launched a surprise attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and captured 251 hostages, the Hamas-run health ministry says at least 51,065 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza due to Israeli air and ground assaults.
📢 Global Reaction and Mounting Pressure
Despite rising death tolls, calls for a permanent ceasefire have largely been ignored by both parties. Aid organizations warn that the humanitarian situation is the worst in a generation, while families on both sides continue to grieve without justice or peace in sight.
Meanwhile, world leaders, including those in the U.S., EU, and Arab League, face growing pressure to intervene diplomatically before Gaza’s civilian population faces complete annihilation.
🧠 Where Is the Safe Zone If Even Tents Burn?
Al-Mawasi was designated a safe zone by the very forces that struck it. For displaced families fleeing bombed-out cities, it represented a sliver of hope. That hope is now ash and dust.