Israeli army destroys Hamas command center in Gaza Strip
Photo: The Israeli army strikes a Hamas command center in the Gaza Strip (Getty Images)
Israel has attacked a Hamas command and control center operating covertly within a designated humanitarian zone in the southern Gaza Strip. Palestinian authorities have reported civilian casualties among displaced persons, according to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Reuters.
According to the military, terrorists based at the command center in Khan Younis "advanced and carried out terror attacks against IDF troops and the state of Israel."
The army stated, "Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional means."
Tent camp destroyed
Meanwhile, the Gaza Civil Emergency Service said that Israeli airstrikes on a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in the southern enclave resulted in 65 deaths and injuries.
Residents and medical personnel reported that at least four rockets were fired at the tent camp near Khan Younis in the Al-Mawasi area, which is a humanitarian zone. The camp was overcrowded with displaced Palestinians who had fled from other parts of the enclave.
The Gaza Civil Emergency Service reported that at least 20 tents caught fire, and the rockets created craters up to nine meters (30 feet) deep. The agency indicated that among the 65 victims were women and children, but did not provide details on the exact number of fatalities and injuries.
Residents reported that ambulances were racing between the tent camp and a nearby hospital, while Israeli aircraft could still be heard overhead.
شاهد .. محاولة انتشال الشـ.ـهداء والجرحى من مكان مجزرة المواصي غرب خانيونس pic.twitter.com/wugSGlJ3c6
— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) September 9, 2024
Current situation in the Gaza Strip
On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants launched an attack on Israeli territory from Gaza Strip. According to Israeli sources, the attack resulted in 1,200 deaths and approximately 250 hostages taken.
In response to the attack, Israel's subsequent assault on Gaza has resulted in over 40,900 Palestinian deaths, according to the enclave’s health ministry.
On September 7, the Israeli army destroyed a Hamas command post in the northern Gaza Strip, which was located in a former school building.
In early September, Hamas terrorists executed a group of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip. The killings occurred as IDF troops approached the militants' location.
Following these events, Israel saw widespread protests demanding the return of hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, attack.
Israel and Hamas leadership have been engaged for over six months in negotiations for a prisoner exchange and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, with mediation from the US, Qatar, and Egypt.
