On December 22, 2024, an Israeli drone strike targeted a humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi, near Khan Younis in southern Gaza, resulting in at least seven fatalities and multiple injuries. Local media reported that the attack was conducted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and aimed at a Hamas militant.
The IDF stated that the operation was based on intelligence and that precautions were taken to minimize civilian casualties, including the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance.
The targeted area, approximately 41 square kilometers, lacks critical infrastructure and services, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Following the drone strike, reports emerged of additional Israeli bombardments in Gaza, including one that killed at least eight Palestinians at the Musa Bin Nusair school in the northern part of the city. In central Gaza, ten more Palestinians, including two children, were reported dead due to another Israeli attack.
This escalation occurs amid ongoing indirect negotiations between the Israeli government and Hamas for the release of hostages, aiming for a prisoner exchange and a ceasefire agreement. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that over the past 14 months of conflict in Gaza, 45,259 individuals have died and 107,627 have been injured.