Israeli strikes kill Palestinians in tented area for displaced in Gaza

At least 37 people have been killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defence agency. Many of the casualties occurred in areas where displaced civilians had set up tents.

Eyewitnesses in al-Mawasi told the BBC that a “powerful” explosion ignited fires that quickly spread through the tents, killing dozens, including children. One man described waking up to “screaming and panic” as the flames tore through the camp.

Al-Mawasi is one of the areas where the Israeli military had previously advised civilians to evacuate for safety.

The Israeli military has not issued an official statement but said it is investigating reports of the strikes.

Civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal reported that two missiles struck tents in the coastal al-Mawasi area near Khan Younis, killing at least 16 people—mostly women and children—and injuring 23 others.

Footage verified by the BBC shows the charred remains of the encampment, with personal belongings scattered and survivors assessing the devastation.

Survivors described waking up to screams and panic after a powerful explosion tore through the camp. One man told the BBC’s Gaza Lifeline programme, “I rushed outside and saw the tent next to mine engulfed in flames. Women were running out, trying desperately to escape. Many martyrs were lost in the fire. It was heartbreaking—we were helpless as the flames spread rapidly from one tent to another.” He added that a large number of children were among the dead.

A displaced woman from Khan Younis said that 10 members of a single family were killed while sleeping, and five more were injured.

Another man described running to the scene with others and trying to extinguish the fire using sand, but said the blaze was too intense to control. “We were helpless, we couldn’t do anything to save them,” he said.

Amande Bazerolle, emergency coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Gaza, said the strikes occurred close to the MSF office in the south. “We received the victims—most arrived dead. Some are critically injured,” she told the BBC.

Gaza’s civil defence agency said additional airstrikes killed seven people in Beit Lahia, two near al-Mawasi, and 10 in Jabalia, including seven members of one family. Three others were killed at a school shelter.

In a statement Thursday, the Israeli military said it had carried out strikes on more than 100 "terror targets," including Hamas militants, infrastructure, and military sites. It confirmed that earlier strikes in Khan Younis killed Yahya Fathi Abd al-Qader Abu Shaar, head of Hamas’ weapons smuggling network, and said measures were taken to limit civilian harm.

Israel imposed a full blockade on Gaza on March 1 and resumed military operations on March 18. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 1,691 people have been killed since then, and roughly 500,000 Palestinians have been displaced. Israel has declared 30% of Gaza a “security zone.”

Twelve leading aid agencies, including Oxfam and Save the Children, warned Thursday that Gaza’s humanitarian aid system is “facing total collapse,” calling it one of the worst humanitarian failures in decades.

Israel maintains that the blockade is necessary to pressure Hamas to release hostages, asserting that no aid shortage exists, citing 25,000 truckloads of supplies delivered during a ceasefire.

Reports indicate Israel has proposed a renewed ceasefire that would include the release of dozens of Israeli hostages and require Hamas to disarm. Hamas has rejected the disarmament demand. AFP reported Thursday that Hamas officials are still reviewing the proposal.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a cross-border attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Since then, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 51,065 people, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.