UNITED NATIONS, Sep 12 (IPS) – On Tuesday, an airstrike was carried out in Al-Mawasi, on a displacement camp situated on the Gaza Strip. According to the Gaza Civil Defense Agency, 40 people were killed and over 60 were injured. Despite being designated as a “safe zone” by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), this region has seen continual airstrikes and armed hostility since December 2023.
Prior to the eruption of hostilities in Gaza, Al-Mawasi was home to about 9,000 Palestinians. It was known as the “Basket of Food” due to its highly fertile conditions for agriculture. The region is relatively small, stretching for about 14 kilometers.
Late last year, Israeli authorities declared the Al-Mawasi settlement will be exempt from attacks during Israel’s occupation of Gaza. Thousands of displaced Palestinians flocked to this region, only to find that the camps were bereft of critical resources, such as food, water, healthcare, and sanitation.
“The use of heavy weapons in densely populated areas is unconscionable. Palestinians had moved to this area in Khan Younis in search of shelter and search of safety, after being repeatedly instructed to do so by the Israeli authorities”, stated Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, at a United Nations (UN) press briefing on Tuesday.
