Al-Mawasi tent massacre (Sep 10)

Facts:

• At midnight, Israel dropped multiple (5) bombs in a "firebelt" pattern on tents sheltering displaced persons and families in Mawasi, Khan Younis.

• The location is designated by Israel itself as a "humanitarian zone' and housed over 200 tents. The strikes were near the Uthman ibn Affan Mosque next to the British Hospital.

• Over 20 tents were struck and completely destroyed in the area.

• The violent bombardment caused fire to break out along with three craters as deep as 10 metres, burying displaced people and their tents under the sand.

• All ambulances from Rafah and Khan Younis, as well as Emergency Services and Civil Defense ambulances, were called to the location. Source

Casualties:

• 40 confirmed killed, 60 injured.

• It is estimated that the death toll could rise to 115

• A whole family was killed, and more are expected to share the same tragic fate.

• Victims were taken to Nasser Medical Complex.

• The Gaza Government Media Office stated that 22 martyrs did not reach the hospitals because their bodies completely evaporated from the repeated bombing. Source

Civil defense spokesman statement

Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for the Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip:

• The area is classified as a humanitarian zone.

• No warning was given to residents before the bombing.

• The area is full of tents for displaced people, with more than 200 tents, and between 20 and 40 tents were completely damaged.

• There are three deep craters at the site of the event.

• Entire families disappeared under the sand.

• There is a serious shortage of tools and equipment needed for search and rescue operations due to the war.

Source Source

Israeli spin:

In one of its now copy-paste statements, the Israeli government acknowledged striking the "Humanitarian area" in full knowledge of that status because of " significant Hamas terrorists who were operating within a command and control center embedded inside". Source Alt. Source

Names of the martyrs (identified):

1. Ahmed Khaled Foujo,
2. Duaa Antar Ahmed Foujo
3. Nadi Ahmed Foujo
4. Yusuf Ahmed Foujo,
5. Adam Ahmed Foujo
6. Shaimaa Al-Shaer
7. Salem Jabir Al-Shaer
8. Eileen Ra'id Sharif Muammar
9. Aseel Yasser Suleiman Al-Arja
10. Ahmed Ziyad Hassouna Shamlakh
11. Rahan Zayed Al-Shaer
12. Tarek Arafat Khalil Al-Qadi

Al-Mawasi massacres despite being declared a “safe humanitarian zone” :

Overview of Al-Mawasi massacres since May

• Al-Mawasi, located on the southern Gaza coastline, was declared a "safe humanitarian zone" by Israel, yet has suffered five major massacres since May 2024.
• The area, home to 1.7 million displaced Palestinians in makeshift tents, has faced repeated attacks despite its designation as a "safe area".
• These attacks have claimed at least 217 Palestinian lives and injured 635, drawing international condemnation.

Massacres Timeline

• 26 May: The Israeli military bombed a refugee camp in Al-Mawasi, Rafah, with several warplane missiles, killing 45 Palestinians, including 23 women and elderly people, and injuring 249 others. Israel initially denied the attack, while Hamas condemned the incident as a massacre.
• 22 June: Israeli artillery shelled refugee tents in Al-Mawasi, Rafah, killing 25 Palestinians and setting tents on fire, forcing residents to flee north to Khan Yunis. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that shells landed near its office and staff residences, affecting many of their Palestinian staff and families. The shelling led to a large influx of casualties to the ICRC's field hospital in the area.
• 13 July: Airstrikes on Al-Nas part of Al-Mawasi refugee camps killed 90 people and injured 300, half of whom were women and children. Israel stated the target was Hamas military leaders, though this was denied by Hamas.
• 16 July: A drone strike hit a civilian vehicle in Khan Yunis, killing 17 Palestinians and injuring 26.
• 10 September: Israeli forces bombed refugee tents near Khan Yunis, killing 40 Palestinians and injuring 60. Many victims remain buried under the sand. Israel claimed it targeted Hamas operatives, but survivors described it as a mass grave.

Context of Violence

• Since October 7, 2023, Israel's Gaza offensive has caused over 41,000 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and left 95,000 injured.
• Due to the siege of all the Gaza Strip by IDF since 11 months, Gaza is suffering from severe shortages of food, water, and medicine due to an ongoing blockade.
• Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

Source