KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Bodies piled up at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on Tuesday after an Israeli strike killed 29 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza government media office.
The strike hit tents housing displaced families outside a school in the town of Abassan, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, as Israel intensified its offensive. Hamas warned that the escalation could jeopardize ceasefire talks.
An eyewitness, who was injured in the strike, described the scene as one of chaos and devastation, emphasizing that the victims were civilians, Reuters reported.
“People were flying in all directions,” he said. “There were no ambulances; it took about an hour for help to arrive.”
Um Sulaiman, whose son was killed in the strike, expressed her grief and anger. “We were at the Mutanabi school gates when the strike hit,” she said. “Israel was only successful in killing children, women, and demolishing buildings. They did not beat the resistance and never will.”
The Israeli army, when reached for comment by Reuters, stated that they are investigating the incident.
The strike occurred amid intensified efforts to secure a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza. Active shuttle diplomacy has been underway, involving Washington, Israel, and Qatar, which is leading mediation efforts from Doha, where the exiled Hamas leadership is based.
