Israeli Army: We Targeted a Hamas Command Center in a Gaza Camp

Israel claims to have targeted a command center of Hamas fighters in a camp in southern Gaza. The Israeli army announced early on Tuesday, September 20, that Hamas forces had infiltrated a designated 'humanitarian' area in Al-Mawasi. The Israeli army had instructed hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to take refuge in this large camp. In a statement, the Israeli army stated that these 'terrorists' were directly involved in the massacre of October 15 of last year and were actively planning further terrorist actions. The Israeli army added that precision munitions were used in this attack, and the casualty figures released by Hamas-controlled officials in Gaza do not align with the accuracy of the attack and the intelligence available to the Israeli army. The Gaza Health Ministry, controlled by Hamas, claimed that dozens were killed or injured in these attacks, with at least 19 bodies transferred to hospitals, and other victims may be missing or buried. The Gaza media office, also under Hamas control, claimed that the death toll exceeded 40, stating that at least 60 others were injured and many were missing. Reuters reported, citing local residents and doctors, that five or six missiles or bombs struck the camp. The Gaza Civilian Emergency Services stated that at least 20 tents caught fire, and a total of 65 people, including several women and children, were killed or injured. Tor Wennesland, the UN peace envoy for the Middle East, condemned the Israeli attack on this densely populated safe area, emphasizing that civilians should never be used as human shields. He called on all parties to urgently reach an agreement for the release of all hostages and to establish a ceasefire. Hamas rejected Israel's claims of armed presence in the area and accusations that the group exploited civilian areas for military purposes. During the terrorist attack on October 15, 1402, Hamas killed over 1,200 Israeli citizens, including women, children, and the elderly, and took over 250 others hostage. Following this terrorist attack, Israel launched an offensive on Gaza to destroy Hamas and recover the hostages taken by Hamas. The Hamas group is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Japan, and several other countries.