At least 40 people have been killed and 60 others wounded following an Israeli airstrike on the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone in Khan Yunis, located in the southern Gaza Strip.

According to Gaza's civil defense agency, the casualties included both dead and injured, with rescue operations underway to locate 15 more individuals believed to be trapped under the rubble. Mohammed Al-Mughair, a civil defense official, confirmed that "40 martyrs and 60 injured were recovered and transferred to nearby hospitals."

The strike caused extensive damage, leaving large craters and significant destruction in its wake. Mahmoud Basal, a civil defense spokesman, described the aftermath as devastating, stating, "Entire families disappeared in the Mawasi Khan Yunis massacre, under the sand, in deep holes."

In response, the Israeli military issued a statement claiming the strike targeted a Hamas command center within the humanitarian zone. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) accused Hamas of "systematically abusing civilian and humanitarian infrastructure" to carry out attacks against Israel.

Hamas has denied these claims, labeling the accusation that their fighters were present at the site as "a blatant lie."

Rescue operations are ongoing as civil defense teams continue their efforts to recover those missing and address the widespread damage caused by the strike.