Massacre in Khan Younis: Dozens killed in Israeli bombardment

A heavy bombardment in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis led to the deaths of at least 70 civilians and left dozens more wounded. Reports indicate that over an hour and a half into the aggression, martyrs are still being brought into the Kuwaiti Hospital. The Ministry of Health stressed that Gaza's healthcare infrastructure is overwhelmed by the constant Israeli bombardment, making it impossible to manage the high number of casualties.

First responders and rescue workers are struggling to retrieve bodies trapped under the rubble. Most of the survivors are critically injured, according to reports from the Kuwaiti Hospital.

In central Gaza, an Israeli airstrike on a home in Deir al-Balah killed five Palestinians, including three children. Another airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp injured at least ten Palestinians. Additional airstrikes hit the northern area of the camp and the southern Gaza Strip, resulting in more deaths and injuries.

A man and his pregnant wife were killed in the Qah al-Qurain area, east of Khan Younis, after their home was bombed. Another airstrike targeted a house near the al-Tahrir station at the entrance to the large town of Abasan, also east of Khan Younis.

In northern Gaza, Israeli drones opened fire on civilians in the southern Tell al-Hawa area, southwest of Gaza City. This attack coincided with artillery shelling in the southern Rimal neighborhood, west of the city.

Local sources reported extensive devastation in the industrial zone and Tell al-Hawa, with medical teams continuing to recover the bodies of dozens of martyrs from the streets. Israeli artillery also targeted areas near the Moroccan junction and al-Thalathini Street in Gaza City.

The Government Media Office in Gaza reported approximately 71,000 cases of viral hepatitis infections due to displacement since the beginning of the Israeli war on Gaza. The ongoing violence has resulted in the deaths of more than 38,345 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, and injured over 88,295 others. Thousands of victims remain buried under the rubble.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) suggested that nearly 6,400 Palestinians are still missing in Gaza. Many are thought to be trapped under rubble, buried without identification, or held in Israeli prisons. Since April, nearly 1,100 new missing persons cases have been recorded.

Sarah Davies, an ICRC spokesperson, reported that 500 to 2,500 calls regarding missing persons are received weekly. She explained that chaotic situations often lead to separations, with people losing contact in the confusion.

Israeli attacks on hospitals and efforts to hinder medical professionals have exacerbated the crisis. The relentless aggression, coupled with mobility and communication limitations, has made it difficult to track and locate missing people. Access for forensic and human rights specialists has been limited, making victim identification challenging.

According to Save the Children, the intensity of Israeli strikes and unexploded ordnance in debris makes it too dangerous for first responders and relatives to search for people. The ICRC has documented over 8,700 missing Palestinians in Gaza, with approximately 2,300 cases settled. The true number is likely higher, as not all families may report missing persons, and entire families have been killed, leaving no one behind to report.

For more information, please contact the Palestinian Ministry of Health or the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). (ILKHA)