May 2024 Al-Mawasi refugee camp attack

May 2024 Al-Mawasi refugee camp attack
Part of the Rafah offensive of the Israel–Hamas war
Al-Mawasi is located in the Gaza Strip
Al-Mawasi
Al-Mawasi
Location within the Gaza Strip
Locational-Mawasi, Rafah Governorate, Gaza Strip
Coordinates31°19′44″N 34°13′48″E / 31.32889°N 34.23000°E / 31.32889; 34.23000
Date28 May 2024
Attack type
Tank shelling
Deaths21+ Palestinian civilians
Injured64 Palestinian civilians
Perpetrator Israel Defense Forces

On 28 May 2024, Gaza emergency services reported that four tank artillery shells struck a tent city in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone west of Rafah, hitting a group of tents and killing at least 21 people, at least 12 of whom were women, and injuring 64 people, including 10 in a critical condition.[1][2] The strike occurred in an area designated as an expanded humanitarian zone by Israel in the wake of the Rafah offensive which has led to the mass displacement of Palestinian civilians to tent cities outside of the city.[3]

This attack came two days after a 26 May attack on a UNRWA refugee camp in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood that killed 45–50 civilians,[4] and four days after a 24 May legally binding order by the International Court of Justice for Israel to immediately stop its Rafah offensive due to the risk to civilians.[5]

The Israel Defense Forces denied attacking the area on 28 May.[6] The New York Times published a video showing the aftermath of the attack on al-Mawasi.[7]

  1. ^ Al-Mughrabi, Nidal (28 May 2024). "Israeli tanks hit evacuation zone west of Rafah". Reuters.
  2. ^ "At least 21 killed in Israeli attacks on tent camp near Gaza's Rafah". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  3. ^ AAP (2024-05-28). "Israeli tanks hit evacuation zone west of Rafah". The Queenslander. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  4. ^ Ebrahim, Nadeen (2024-05-27). "Israeli strike that killed 45 at camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah a 'tragic error,' Netanyahu says". CNN. Archived from the original on 2024-05-27. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  5. ^ Nashed, Mat. "ICJ rules Israel must stop Rafah operation, what's next?". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  6. ^ "Israel did not strike humanitarian area, says IDF spokesperson". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2024-05-28. Archived from the original on 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  7. ^ "Video: Strike Kills Displaced Gazans in Al-Mawasi, Officials Say". The New York Times. 28 May 2024. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024. Video says "Al-Mawasi, Gaza, May 28" starting at the 0:02 mark.