al-Shati refugee camp airstrikes | |
---|---|
Part of the Gaza war and genocide | |
Type | Airstrike |
Location | 31°31′55.91″N34°26′43.42″E / 31.5321972°N 34.4453944°E |
Target | Al-Shati refugee camp |
Date | 9 and 12 October 2023 |
Executed by | ![]() |
Casualties | 15+ civilians [1] [2] killed |
Location within the Gaza Strip |
On 9 October 2023, during the Gaza war, the Israel Defense Forces conducted an airstrike on al-Shati refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, destroying four mosques. According to Palestinian media, the attack killed people inside. The camp is Gaza's third-largest refugee camp, with a population of more than 90,000 refugees. [3] A second strike was conducted on 12 October, killing 13 people. [2]
The al-Shati camp was established in 1948 for about 23,000 Palestinians who fled or were expelled by Israeli forces during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. It contains a sewage system, a health center and 23 schools (17 primary, 6 secondary). [3] [4] With an area of 0.52 km2, as of 2023 it was one of the most densely populated places in the world. [3]
Following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on 7 October, Israel launched airstrikes at different areas in the Gaza Strip. In the Shati airstrikes, four mosques were hit, the al-Gharbi mosque, Yassin mosque, and al-Sousi mosque. All were destroyed according to satellite footage, and local news reported an unspecified number of people were killed inside. [5] [6] [7] The Palestinian Ministry of Health described the situation as "a massacre". [8] [9]
According to a recording released by an IDF spokesperson, between two residents of the Al-Shati, Hamas prevented civilians from leaving the area in order to use them as human shields. [10]
On 19 October 2024, an Israeli airstrike killed at least 73 people at the Asmaa School, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense. [11]