Dozens of civilians were killed on Tuesday after an Israeli assault targeting a Hamas commander was launched into the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza.
The Jabalya refugee camp, home to thousands of residents, is reported to be the largest in Gaza, where Israel has increased its bombing as part of its pledge to eliminate Hamas, the Palestinian militant group.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, 50 people were killed and 150 were injured. However, a nearby hospital reported 400 victims, including 120 deaths.
According to an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) statement, the air strike targeted and killed Ibrahim Biari, who was characterized as one of the Hamas commanders responsible for the October 7 onslaught on Israel that killed 1,400 people and took hundreds captive.
IDF added that the strike damaged Hamas’ command and control in the area and eliminated a large number of terrorists who were with Biari.
“Additionally, underground terrorist infrastructure collapsed following the strike. The IDF reiterates its call to the residents of the area to move south for their safety,” the statement said.
Hamas has however strongly denied the presence of one of its leaders in the refugee camp and has accused Israel of attempting to justify what the group described as a “heinous crime against safe civilians, children, and women in Jabalya camp”.
Richard Hecht, IDF spokesperson, countered the accusations saying Hamas is always “hiding, as they do, behind civilians”.
Pictures seen on social media showed several large craters, surrounded by shattered buildings, as rescuers and volunteers used bare hands to search for survivors in huge amounts of concrete debris.
Humanitarian groups have condemned Israel’s attack on the refugee camp, saying the air raid should be a “wake-up call” to world leaders to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.
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