On October 6, 2024, an Israeli military hit a mosque in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, leaving at least 26 people dead and another 93 injured.
The mosque, which had been converted into a shelter for displaced Gaza residents, was hit during a strike at dawn.
“The number of martyrs brought to hospitals as a result of the occupation’s targeting of displaced people in the Ibn Rushd school and al-Aqsa Martyrs Mosque reached 26, with several more wounded,” the Health ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
“The Israeli occupation committed three massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, resulting in 45 martyrs and 256 injuries arriving at hospitals during the past 24 hours,” it added.
The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed the death toll, while many others were injured in the attack which took place near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
The Israeli military stated that the strike was directed at members of Hamas, who were operating a command and control center from within the mosque. This, they explained, justified their military action.
This attack is part of the bigger war between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that governs Gaza. The health ministry in Gaza, operated by Hamas, has reported civilian casualties as a result of Israeli military operations, raising concerns about the humanitarian impact on the population.
The ministry said the overall death toll since the war on Gaza began a year ago had reached 41,870, with 97,166 Palestinians injured.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military issued more evacuation orders on Sunday morning for large swaths of northern Gaza, ordering residents to flee to the already overcrowded “humanitarian zone” in al-Mawasi.
The military’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee told people in northern Gaza that Hamas had established “terrorist infrastructure in your region, exploiting the population, shelters, and health facilities as a human shield”.
“We are in a new phase of the war,” the military said in leaflets dropped over the area. “These areas are considered dangerous combat zones.”
Avichay Adraee, added that the Israeli military had expanded the so-called humanitarian zone in southern Gaza and urged people to head there.
The orders came shortly after Israel on Saturday issued a similar warning to thousands of displaced Palestinians sheltering in central Gaza, saying its military was preparing to use “great force” against Hamas in the area.
Palestinian and United Nations officials say no place in the enclave is safe, including the humanitarian zones where Israeli missiles have hit several times.
Closing Note
As tensions between Israel and Hamas intensify, international parties have called for restraint and adherence to international law, especially in regard to the protection of civilians in conflict zones.
Meanwhile, the international community is waiting to see how Israel responds to an unprecedented missile strike on its territory by Iran earlier this week, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claiming Tehran "will pay".
Iran has announced a temporary shutdown of its airspace and canceled all flights until October 7.
However, with all sides committed to their goals, the situation remains dire, with no immediate signs of de-escalation.