Gaza’s civil defence agency on Thursday said that a series of Israeli air strikes killed no fewer than 37 people.
The agency said most of those killed were in encampments for displaced civilians, as Israel pressed its unrelenting military offensive in the Palestinian territory.
The Israeli military did not give instant comment, but said it was looking into reports of the strikes, which came as Hamas officials said internal deliberations on the latest Israeli truce offer were nearly complete.
According to civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal, two Israeli missiles struck several tents in the Al-Mawasi area of the southern city of Khan Yunis, resulting in the death of at least 16 people, most of whom were women and children, and 23 others were wounded.
It will be recalled that after Israel declared Al-Mawasi a safe zone in December 2023, tens of thousands of Palestinians flocked to its sand dunes along the Mediterranean coast seeking refuge from Israeli bombardment.
However, the area has since been hit by repeated Israeli strikes, which have exacted a heavy civilian death toll.
Bassal said that Israeli strikes on two other encampments of displaced Gazans killed a further nine people, seven in the northern town of Beit Lahia, and a father and son near Al-Mawasi.
