In the latest controversial military action from the Israeli government, almost 20 people are dead as the war in the Middle East continues to rage.
It’s been almost one year since the Palestinian terror group Hamas ruthlessly slaughtered more than a thousand people in Israeli towns. The Jewish nation fired back with consistent attacks in the Gaza Strip which have killed more than 30,000 people, sparking backlash from international allies and enemies alike.
This week, the Israeli military launched an overnight strike in a designated humanitarian zone in the region, killing at least 19 people. According to witnesses, the area was densely populated by tents. Temporary residents had set up shelters as they had been displaced by the war. The impacted area saw damage of massive craters in al-Mawasi.
One person who witnessed the incident described the strike as “incredibly intense” and one which saw people “thrown into the air.” He said that one cannot “imagine the devastation.” Initial reports from the Civil Defense group, run by Hamas, reported that over 40 bodies had been found in the bombing. But the Israeli military disputed that number.
The designated humanitarian zone housed hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. However, it only measures about 16 square miles on the southern coast of the Gaza Strip. Citizens evacuated there months ago, prompted by encouragement to do so by the Israeli military.
While the strike is being criticized by those hoping to spare more innocent lives—and who have been warning Israel not to act negligently—the Jewish nation has said that the attack was intended to wipe out “significant Hamas terrorists” who were working from inside the humanitarian area. Though Hamas denies this claim, it fits with the Israeli government’s vow to completely destroy the terror group.
The United States has been one of several countries to issue warnings to Israel that they are too close to the line between self-defense and negligent vengeance at the expense of civilians. Back in May, an American report even stated that its ally was breaking international humanitarian law in its attacks in Gaza.
