The June 2024 northern Gaza City airstrikes or Al-Shati and Tuffah dual airstrikes took place on 22 June 2024, when two airstrikes conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces occurred at roughly the same time in northern districts of Gaza City, striking the al-Shati refugee camp and the Tuffah district, killing at least 43 people and wounding dozens more.[1][2]
June 2024 northern Gaza City airstrikes | |
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Part of the Bombing of the Gaza Strip and the Israel–Hamas war | |
Type | Airstrikes |
Location | 31°31′56″N 34°26′43″E / 31.532197°N 34.445394°E |
Target | A senior Hamas official |
Date | 22 June 2024 |
Executed by | ![]() |
Casualties | 43+ killed[a], 35+ injured, 19+ missing |
Background
The al-Shati refugee camp was first targeted on 9 October 2023, within 48 hours of the start of the Israel–Hamas war, hitting and destroying four mosques while killing at least 15 Palestinians. On 10 November, Israel Defense Forces invaded the camp during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, with the IDF claiming to have killed roughly 150 Hamas operatives during battles in the region before taking control of the camp.[3][4]
At the time of the airstrikes, displaced Palestinians from the northern Gaza Strip were told to seek refuge in the al-Shati refugee camp, as a humanitarian safe zone.[5]
Airstrikes
Two airstrikes targeted separate areas in northern districts of Gaza City, the first striking a residential block in the al-Shati refugee camp, and the second striking houses in the al-Tuffah district. Israeli media reported that the IDF was potentially targeting a senior Hamas official. A Gaza City civil defense spokesperson said that the attacks felt like "an earthquake" that targeted the whole area, burying several families under rubble. Many of the injured were taken to Baptist Hospital and Al-Ahli hospital, who had difficulty treating casualties due to a severe shortage of fuel and medical supplies.[1]
At least 24 Palestinians were killed in al-Shati camp, while at least 18 were killed in al-Tuffah. Following the airstrikes, the IDF released a statement said that it struck "two Hamas military infrastructure sites”.[6] Dozens of Palestinians[1] were injured in the airstrikes and resulting structure collapses, at least 35 of whom were in al-Tuffah, while at least 19 people working at an Al-Tuffah factory were reported missing.[7] Gaza's Civil Defence stated that the vast majority of victims were civilians, with several being children. They further stated that there were still dozens of Palestinians trapped under debris of, and that rescue operations were extremely difficult.[1]
Reactions
Hamas officials claimed that the airstrikes were deliberately targeting civilians, stating that the "occupation and its Nazi leaders" would face retaliation as a result.[8]
UNRWA released a statement decrying the IDF's "blatant disregard of humanitarian law", stating how their indiscriminate attacks left no region in Gaza safe.[9]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Israeli air strikes on Gaza City kill dozens, Hamas says". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ Quillen, Stephen; Rowlands, Lyndal. "Fighting rages in Rafah as Israeli attacks kill 5 Palestinians in Gaza City". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2024-06-23. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ Abdulrahim, Raja; Harouda, Ameera (2023-10-09). "Israeli Airstrikes Hit Marketplace and Mosques in Gaza, Killing Dozens". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-10-09. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ "Israeli military says it has taken control of Al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza". CNN. 2023-11-14. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
- ^ "Israel pounds north Gaza after attack on southern al-Mawasi 'safe zone'". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2024-06-22. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ Osborne, Samuel (22 June 2024). "'At least 42 killed' in Gaza strikes, as Israeli man shot dead in West Bank". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ "Gaza Health Officials: At Least 24 Killed In Israeli Air Strikes In Gaza City". Barron's. 22 June 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-06-23. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ Beaumont, Peter (2024-06-22). "Dozens killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ Hernández-Morales, Aitor (2024-06-23). "Israeli strikes on Gaza City kill at least 50 people". Politico. Archived from the original on 2024-06-23. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ Including 24+ in Al-Shati and 18+ in Tuffah