Multiple Fatalities in Israeli Strike on ‘Safe Zone’ in Gaza

At least 19 people were killed and scores were injured in an Israeli airstrike on a declared “safe zone” in Gaza Tuesday, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continued to intensify. The deadly strike hit the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, which Israel had identified as a humanitarian zone, a place Palestinians were supposed to go for safety after being told to leave their homes because of the Israeli ground offensive and air bombardment. Local authorities and international organizations have criticized the strike against an overcrowded tent camp as a “massacre,” renewing global concerns about civilian safety in war-torn Gaza.

Attack on a ‘Safe Zone’
The strike, according to Gaza’s civil emergency services, hit al-Mawasi-a region where thousands of displaced Palestinians had gone for shelter. The area was supposed to be a safe zone announced by IDF but became the center of strike attacks on Tuesday. At least four missiles hit the densely packed tent camp, making the spot intended to be a haven one of the worst scenes of devastation.

It’s a massacre,” said Mahmoud Bassal, the spokesman for the emergency services. “Entire families disappeared under the sand, in deep holes.” Many were still buried under the rubble, with rescue operations also complicated by a chaotic situation with continued fighting. The Gazan health ministry said 19 bodies had so far been recovered, but the number of casualties is likely to rise, as rescue teams try to dig through the rubble.

Casualties Among Civilians Mount
Survivors from the airstrike described a scene out of a nightmare. One man related to Al Jazeera, “We woke up to the Israeli warplanes firing missiles at us. The tents were in flames, just like an inferno.” He expressed incredulity; this place, al-Mawasi, had been labeled a humanitarian zone, and they were still not safe from violence. “These are all lies,” he added, capturing the frustration and sense of betrayal felt by so many in Gaza.

This was not the first airstrike to hit al-Mawasi in recent months. In July, a similar attack killed more than 90 people. At the time, Israel said it was trying to kill a senior Hamas commander, Mohammed Deif. Hamas insisted after the attack that Deif survived. Such continued attacks on areas declared safe zones have brought into serious question the civilian protection, especially in areas zoned for evacuation.

Justification by Israel
The IDF had said in response to Tuesday’s airstrike that it had struck the camp because “significant Hamas terrorists were operating within a command and control center embedded inside the humanitarian area.” The IDF has continually asserted that Hamas militants have been using civilian areas for cover in conducting their operations, and that thereby explains why those regions need to be targeted.

But the high civilian toll in these strikes has rallied almost unanimous condemnation. Some critics say even when militants are among them, such strikes indiscriminately kill civilians and constitute a violation of international law. Humanitarian organizations and human rights groups have since urged for more protection of non-combatants in military operations, especially in a highly dense area like Gaza.

Palestinian Response and Global Outcry
The attack was strongly condemned by the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, which blamed the international community for failing to act to prevent an ongoing escalation of violence in Gaza. “Israel is able to continue its commitment to committing additional massacres in al-Mawasi and other parts of Gaza only because of the world community’s failure to take steps to enforce international law and stop the IDF operation,” said a Ministry statement.

The Palestinian authorities have also reiterated demands for an immediate ceasefire as the only possible way to preserve civilians and create conditions for negotiation. They underlined that a ceasefire would open up the way for an exchange of prisoners’ deal, which has been a major issue in the current conflict.

Domestic and International Impact
The Al-Mawasi attack has further aggravated the disaster in Gaza. The death toll now reached alarming levels, as according to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 95,000 injured since the conflict escalated following Hamas’s cross-border incursion into Israel last October. That attack had killed some 1,200 Israelis, thus prompting the current Israeli military operation.

The repeated strikes around civilian areas have sparked rounds of sharp criticism by human rights organizations and the international community. Many are calling for the protection of humanitarian zones, effective immediately, with the full application of international conventions related to civilian treatment in conflict zones. The United Nations has joined the many calls for restraint by Israel and Hamas, calling on them not to sacrifice any more innocent lives.

The Larger Perspective
The result of this perennial conflict between Israel and Hamas has been one of the disastrous humanitarian crises in the region. To this day, both sides continue to pay the price for their extended war. With more than 2 million people in Gaza, it is unimaginable to accurately perceive the scale of bombardment that the area has come under, with several key pieces of infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools, and shelters, targeted or substantially damaged.

So far, the IDF has justified its attack on the grounds that Hamas militants are mingling with the civilian groups; therefore it is tough to conduct an operation without collateral damage. In turn Palestinian authorities and human rights group accused Israel of disproportionate use of force and collective punishment.

International Intervention Called for
This intensification of violence has only heightened the need for international intervention right now to mediate and declare a cease-fire to save human lives. Attempts at peace brokering had been made since long, but as no permanent solution was in sight, the conflict was continuing and the civilians suffered most due to this violence.

Humanitarian organizations are calling for safe passage of medical aid, food, and other supplies into Gaza as well as true safe zones free from military operations. The attack on al-Mawasi-ostensibly a safe zone-highlights the precariousness of life in which civilians find themselves as this conflict wears on.

While the death toll rises, Israel and Hamas should be made to act to prevent further atrocities by the international community on both sides, in accordance with the tenets of international law and humanity. The urgency of an immediate ceasefire goes without saying, since a ceasefire would open avenues for discussions leading, hopefully, to a solution; for many in Gaza, however, peace seems increasingly beyond their grasp.

Read more about related articles, just click here