In a shocking and devastating attack, Israeli forces have killed 71 Palestinians and injured 289 others in the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza. This area had been designated as an “expanded humanitarian area” by the same forces, making the assault particularly egregious.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported an overwhelming influx of casualties at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis. Over 70 bodies have been brought in, along with 289 injured individuals, many of whom are in critical condition. Medical personnel are working around the clock to provide care, but the sheer volume of victims is straining their capacity.
The government media office in Gaza has issued a statement underscoring the gravity of the situation. Local hospitals are inundated and struggling to manage the high number of fatalities and injuries. This dire scenario is further exacerbated by the continuous destruction of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure by Israeli forces.
Thousands of displaced Palestinians had sought refuge in Al-Mawasi, which had been deemed a safe zone. However, this recent attack is not the first instance of violence in the area. Within the past month, Israeli forces have targeted Al-Mawasi twice, once at the end of May and again on June 21, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries.
The Israeli military has been displacing people from northern and southern Gaza into Al-Mawasi, a narrow coastal strip along the Mediterranean Sea. This area stretches 12 kilometers in length and one kilometer in depth, from Deir Al-Balah in the north to Rafah in the south.
Al-Mawasi is predominantly an open, non-residential area, severely lacking in essential infrastructure. It has no sewage systems, electricity, communication networks, or internet access. The land is mostly used for agriculture or sand greenhouses. The displaced residents are enduring severe hardships, with critical shortages of water, sanitation, medical care, and food.
Since October 7, the Israeli military has been conducting a relentless campaign in the Gaza Strip, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries. The ongoing conflict has precipitated a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with the destruction of vital facilities leading to a significant health and environmental disaster.
From the onset of the war, Israeli forces have cut off all essential supplies—electricity, water, fuel, and food—to Gaza’s population. They have bombed bakeries, factories, stores, water stations, and tanks, decimating much of the region’s infrastructure.
This aggressive campaign by Israeli forces in Gaza constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and human rights. The lives and properties of civilians are at extreme risk, and the suffering is immense. There is an urgent need for decisive international intervention to halt the aggression and safeguard the civilian population in Gaza.
