Palestinian woman stands next to children on a balcony as others gather at the site of an Israeli air strike on a UN school sheltering displaced people, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Nusairat in central Gaza Strip, July 14, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed/File Photo
On Monday, Israel launched strikes on the southern and central Gaza Strip to exert additional pressure on Hamas. This follows a weekend attack aimed at Hamas leadership, which resulted in significant Palestinian casualties in a designated “safe zone.”
Incident in Mawasi
The Israeli strike on Saturday turned Mawasi, a crowded area near the Mediterranean coast, into a scene of devastation with burning cars and mangled bodies. Aya Mohammad, a market seller in Mawasi, described the harrowing experience of witnessing dismembered bodies and the ground shaking beneath her feet. Displaced survivors are now uncertain about their next refuge as the area, initially declared a safe zone by Israel, becomes increasingly dangerous.
Targeting Hamas Leadership
Israel’s strike on Mawasi was intended to target Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, who was a key architect of the October 7 assault on Israeli towns. Palestinian officials report at least 90 fatalities and hundreds of injuries from the strike. Scenes of carnage and chaos were captured by Reuters journalists, with residents carrying the wounded and dead amidst flames and smoke.
Renewed Fighting in Rafah and Central Gaza
In Rafah, the focus of Israel’s advance since May, residents reported renewed fighting on Monday. Israeli forces destroyed several homes in the city, and medical officials recovered 10 decomposed bodies of Palestinians in eastern Rafah. The military intensified shelling in central Gaza’s Al-Bureij and Al-Maghazi refugee camps, where an air strike on a house killed five Palestinians. The Israeli military claims to have struck numerous Palestinian military targets and killed several gunmen in Rafah and central Gaza.
Response from Palestinian Militants
The Al-Quds brigade, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad militant group, reported fierce battles in the Yabna camp in Rafah.
Impact on Ceasefire Talks
The deadly strike in Mawasi has overshadowed ongoing negotiations for a lasting ceasefire. Despite the attack, a senior Hamas official confirmed that the group has not abandoned the talks. Israel announced the killing of another senior commander in the strike but has not confirmed Deif’s fate. Hamas officials denied that Deif was killed.
Casualty Figures and War Background
According to the Gaza health ministry, at least 38,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s military offensive began on October 7. The ministry does not differentiate between combatants and non-combatants, but officials claim most casualties are civilians. Israel reports 326 soldier fatalities and states that at least a third of Palestinian deaths are fighters.
The conflict was triggered by a Hamas-led attack inside Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and over 250 hostages being taken to Gaza.
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