At least 37 Palestinians have been killed in a series of Israeli strikes in Gaza, most of whom were displaced civilians living in tents in the al-Mawasi area. The strikes, which occurred on Wednesday night, caused widespread destruction and panic among the affected population.
The Israeli military said it struck a “Hamas terrorist” in the area, but witnesses described a powerful explosion that engulfed tents in flames, killing dozens of people, including children. UN children’s agency Unicef’s executive director Catherine Russell condemned the incident, calling it “shocking” and stating that images of children burning while sheltering in makeshift tents should be “a wake-up call to us all.”
Hamas formally rejected Israel’s latest ceasefire proposal, which would have seen the release of 10 hostages in exchange for a 45-day ceasefire. The group insisted on the release of all 59 hostages it is holding, including 24 believed to be alive.
Israel’s aim is the complete disarmament and destruction of Hamas, and its National Security Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned that it was time “to open the gates of hell” on the militant group. The conflict has resulted in over 1,700 Palestinian deaths since Israel resumed the war on March 18.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating, with the heads of 12 major aid organisations warning that the system is facing “total collapse”. The Israeli blockade, which began on March 1, has been renewed and incorporated 30% of Gaza into security zones.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yrl891j23o