June 2024 Al-Mawasi refugee camp attack

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June 2024 Al-Mawasi refugee camp attack
Part of the Rafah offensive of the Israel–Hamas war
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Al-Mawasi
Location Al-Mawasi, Rafah, Gaza Strip
Date21 June 2024
Target Al-Mawasi refugee camp
Attack type
 Airstrike, shelling
Deaths25+ civilians killed
Injured50+ civilians injured
PerpetratorFlag of the Israel Defense Forces.svg  Israel Defense Forces [1]

On 21 June 2024, Israeli forces attacked refugee tent camps in al-Mawasi, Gaza Strip just outside an area designated as a humanitarian safe zone. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 25 people were killed and 50 others were injured in the two rounds of bombing. [2] The bombing was the second Israeli bombardment of the al-Mawasi refugee camp in under a month, with an attack on 28 May killing over 21 people and injuring 64 more. [3]

Contents

Prelude

During the Israel–Hamas war, many civilians in Gaza were ordered to evacuate to humanitarian safe zones, depopulating many areas of the strip. Many refugees fled to Rafah, with over 1.4 million civilians sheltering in the city and outlying tent camps. [4] Israel invaded Rafah on 6 May despite orders from the ICJ to cease the offensive, and a further 950,000 civilians fled to western Rafah, including the al-Mawasi refugee camp. [5] Al-Mawasi is one of the humanitarian safe zones civilians were ordered to evacuate to. [6] On 28 May, Israeli forces bombed Al-Mawasi refugee camp, killing 21 people and injuring 64 more. [7] The 28 May attack sparked international condemnation, and Israeli president Benjamin Netanyahu dubbed it a "tragic error." [8] Dozens of people were killed on 13 June at al-Mawasi in renewed strikes, but these were denied by the IDF. [9]

Attack

The first attack on al-Mawasi began shortly after midnight on 21 June. A survivor of the attack stated that her family was awoken by Israeli aircraft, and flames erupted around her camp. [6] Witnesses stated tanks launched artillery shells at makeshift tents and evacuation centers. [10] Another witness stated that the strikes had been fired from two Israeli tanks that climbed a hilltop overlooking the camp. [11] [1] The shelling landed in an area of the camp near the Palestinian International Committee of the Red Cross, damaging the structure of the building. Hundreds of civilians and ICRC staff were located near the office at the time of the bombings. [12] Witnesses reported that Israeli forces fired a second round of projectiles on the camp as civilians were leaving their tents. [13] A Palestinian Civil Defence worker stated that two locations in al-Mawasi camp were hit by the Israeli bombardment, with the second one being closer to the entrance of the ICRC. [11] These locations were assessed by the Associated Press to be just outside of the safe zone in al-Mawasi. [11]

Aftermath and death toll

The ICRC reported that the hospital in al-Mawasi underwent a "mass casualty influx" due to the bombings, and that they had received 22 bodies and 45 injured people, along with reports of additional casualties. [12] [11] The ICRC, in its statement, did not say who was responsible. [2] Palestinian Civil Defense reported a death toll of 18 and 35 injured. [2] The Gaza Health Ministry announced a death toll of at least 25 killed and 50 injured, and accused the Israel Defense Forces of the bombings. [2]

Israeli officials stated that the attack was "under review", and said that "there was no indication the strike was carried out by the IDF." [13]

Reactions

The EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell stated, "The EU condemns the shelling, which damaged the ICRC office in Gaza and led to dozens of casualties. An independent investigation is needed and those responsible must be held accountable". [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

Al-Mawasi is a fertile area for agriculture in the Gaza Strip. It is along the coast and has many sand dunes. Al-Mawasi is fourteen kilometers long and one kilometer wide, making up about 3% of the Gaza Strip. It is a Palestinian Bedouin town and prior to the 2005 unilateral Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip, it was a Palestinian enclave within the Israeli settlements of Gush Katif. Al-Mawasi had a population of 1,409 in the middle of 2006. Prior to the Israel–Hamas war, al-Mawasi had a population of 9,000. It has a number of buildings with a maximum of 100 structures.

The year 2023 in Israel was defined first by wide-scale protests against a proposed judicial reform, and then by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, which led to a war and to Israel invading the Gaza Strip.

Events in the year 2023 in Palestine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaza Strip evacuations</span> State-ordered displacement

During the Israel–Hamas war, the Israeli military ordered mass evacuations in Gaza, resulting in one of the largest displacements of Palestinians since 1948. On 13 October 2023, just one week after Hamas' attack on Israel, Israel instructed 1.1 million Gazans north of the Wadi Gaza, including those in Gaza City, to evacuate within 24 hours. This evacuation triggered a humanitarian crisis, with Palestinians calling it the "second Nakba," in reference to the mass displacement of 1948.

Events of the year 2024 in Israel.

Events in the year 2024 in Palestine.

The following is a list of events during the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in 2024, including the events of the Israel–Hamas war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rafah offensive</span> 2024 Israeli offensive along the Egypt–Gaza border

On 6 May 2024, Israel began a military offensive in and around the city of Rafah as part of its invasion of the Gaza Strip during the Israel–Hamas war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Background of the Rafah offensive</span>

Before the Rafah offensive, Israel conducted airstrikes and threatened to invade the city as part of its invasion of the Gaza Strip during the Israel–Hamas war which began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. Intentions to invade were declared in February, meeting backlash from the international community because of the estimated 1.4 million refugees sheltering in the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tel al-Sultan attack</span> 2024 Israeli airstrike on refugee camp in Gaza

On 26 May 2024, the Israeli Air Force bombed a displacement camp in Tel al-Sultan, Rafah. The attack, which set the camp on fire, killed between 45 and 50 Palestinians and injured more than 200. Sometimes referred to as the Rafah tent massacre or as the Tent Massacre, it was the deadliest incident of the Rafah offensive.

On 28 May 2024, Gaza emergency services reported that four tank artillery shells struck a tent city in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone west of Rafah, hitting a group of tents and killing at least 21 people, at least 12 of whom were women, and injuring 64 people, including 10 in a critical condition. The strike occurred in an area designated as an expanded humanitarian zone by Israel in the wake of the Rafah offensive which has led to the mass displacement of Palestinian civilians to tent cities outside of the city.

The June 2024 northern Gaza City airstrikes or Al-Shati and Tuffah dual airstrikes took place on 22 June 2024, when two airstrikes conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces occurred at roughly the same time in northern districts of Gaza City, striking the al-Shati refugee camp and the Tuffah district, killing at least 43 people and wounding dozens more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">13 July 2024 al-Mawasi attack</span> 2024 Israeli attack on refugee camp in Gaza

On 13 July 2024, Israeli airstrikes hit the Al-Mawasi area near Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip during the Israel–Hamas war. The attack killed at least 90 Palestinians, among them women and children, and injured over 300. Israel said that the strike targeted Hamas top leaders. Survivors reported that they were targeted without warning in an area they were told was safe.

On 13 July 2024, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted targeted shelling operations on the al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. The bombings hit a group of Palestinians gathered to pray near the ruins of a mosque in the camp, killing at least 22. The IDF claims that 20 of those killed were Hamas militants.

On 10 September 2024, the Israeli military conducted airstrikes on a refugee camp it had designated as a humanitarian "safe zone" in Al-Mawasi near Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip where displaced civilians had been sheltering during the Israel–Hamas war. Between 19 and 40 Palestinians were killed in the attack, over 60 others were injured, and several people were trapped under the rubble. The Palestinian Civil Defence described the attack as a massacre.

On December 4, 2024, Israeli forces conducted two consecutive air strikes on al-Mawasi, a designated evacuation and humanitarian zone in Khan Yunis Governorate, southern Gaza, which had been struck multiple times over the course of the Israel–Hamas war. The explosions and the resulting fire that engulfed many refugee shelters resulted in multiple civilian casualties, and extensive damage to refugee accommodations.

References

  1. 1 2 "Deadly attack on Gaza's Al-Mawasi 'safe zone' leaves mourning Palestinians wondering where to go". NBC News. Archived from the original on 2024-06-22. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Sankar, Anjana (2024-06-21). "Strike on Area Where Displaced Gazans Were Camped Kills Up to 25". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2024-06-21. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  3. ↑ AAP (2024-05-28). "Israel sends tanks into Rafah amid Gaza-wide offensive". The Queenslander. Archived from the original on 2024-05-31. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  4. ↑ "These photos show Palestinians' quick exodus from Rafah after Israel issued evacuation orders". AP News. 2024-05-20. Archived from the original on 2024-06-17. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  5. ↑ Nashed, Mat. "ICJ rules Israel must stop Rafah operation, what's next?". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  6. 1 2 "Palestinians reel from repeated strikes on 'humanitarian zones'". NBC News. 2024-06-22. Archived from the original on 2024-06-22. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  7. ↑ "Video: Strike Kills Displaced Gazans in Al-Mawasi, Officials Say". The New York Times. 2024-05-28. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2024-05-29. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  8. ↑ Ebrahim, Nadeen (2024-05-27). "Israeli strike that killed 45 at camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah a 'tragic error,' Netanyahu says". CNN. Archived from the original on 2024-05-27. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  9. ↑ Lilieholm, Lucas (2024-06-13). "Israel denies hitting designated safe zone following Palestinian news agency report". CNN. Archived from the original on 2024-06-16. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  10. ↑ "Israel pounds north Gaza after attack on southern al-Mawasi 'safe zone'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "At least 22 Palestinians killed in shelling near Gaza office of Red Cross, agency says". The Guardian. 2024-06-22. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  12. 1 2 Bisset, Victoria (2024-06-22). "Dozens killed in multiple strikes in Gaza City, authorities say". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286. Archived from the original on 2024-06-23. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  13. 1 2 "Israeli strikes on tent camps near Rafah kill at least 25 and wound 50, Gaza health officials say". AP News. 2024-06-21. Archived from the original on 2024-06-24. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  14. ↑ "EU Top Diplomat Demands Probe Into Gaza Red Cross Office Shelling". Barron's. Agence France Presse. Retrieved 2 July 2024.

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