Gaza agency says Israeli strike kills 40 in humanitarian zone

Gaza's civil defense agency reported Tuesday that an Israeli strike on a humanitarian zone in the south of the Palestinian territory resulted in the deaths of 40 people and injuries to 60 others. 

The strike hit Al-Mawasi, located in Gaza's main southern city of Khan Yunis, which had been designated a safe zone by the Israeli military early in the conflict. Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians had sought refuge there.

The Israeli army stated it had targeted a Hamas command center in the area.

However, Israel's military has occasionally carried out operations in and around the area, including a strike in July that it said killed Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, and which Gaza health authorities said killed more than 90 people.

Gaza civil defense official Mohammed Al-Mughair told AFP early Tuesday that "40 martyrs and 60 injured were recovered and transferred" to nearby hospitals following the overnight strike.

"Our crews are still working to recover 15 missing people as a result of targeting the tents of the displaced in Mawasi, Khan Yunis," Mughair added.

In a separate statement, civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal said that people sheltering in the camp had not been warned of the strike, adding that a shortage of tools and equipment was hindering rescue operations.

"More than 20 to 40 tents were completely damaged," he said, adding the strike left behind "three deep craters."

"There are entire families who disappeared under the sand in the Mawasi Khan Yunis massacre."

The Israeli military said in a statement early Tuesday that its aircraft had "struck significant Hamas terrorists who were operating within a command and control center embedded inside the Humanitarian Area in Khan Yunis."