In Gaza, a blast in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp has left more than 36 hours of uncertainty as to whether it was an airstrike or not. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have yet to confirm if they were responsible for the explosion, which the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health claims killed dozens of people. When questioned about an airstrike by CNN, IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner stated that he cannot confirm it at this time. The IDF has been conducting activities in the south of Gaza, but Lerner emphasized their efforts to limit civilian casualties.
The blast occurred on Saturday evening, and despite CNN providing the IDF with coordinates and timings, they have not responded to whether they struck the refugee camp or not. Lerner expressed his heartbreak at the images coming out of Gaza but did not confirm Israeli involvement in the incident. The health officials in Gaza have attributed the explosion to Israeli bombardment and reported a death toll of 47 people. It is important to note that the IDF has been carrying out more than 400 airstrikes in Gaza each day since a major Hamas terror attack that resulted in many casualties and hostages.
According to the Palestinian Minister of Health in Ramallah, Dr. Mai Al-Kaila, more than 9,700 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since the aforementioned attack. The data is sourced from medical sources within the Hamas-controlled enclave, with children accounting for approximately 4,800 of the fatalities. It remains unclear whether the IDF will eventually confirm or deny their involvement in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp blast.
