On Tuesday, an Israeli drone strike hit a tent in the Al Mawasi camp in southern Gaza. The attack killed one person and wounded five others. Al Mawasi was once labeled a “safe zone” by Israeli forces, but recent airstrikes have shattered that claim. The camp shelters thousands of displaced Palestinians.
Al Mawasi’s Status as a Safe Zone Fades
Al Mawasi lies west of Khan Younis. It was marked as a humanitarian area where civilians could seek safety. Over the past months, many families moved there after fleeing other war-torn areas.
Now, that safety is gone. The recent drone strike destroyed a tent in the camp. Witnesses said the victims had no warning. Among the injured were children, who are now receiving care at a nearby field clinic.
Conflict in Gaza Continues to Escalate
The Israeli military continues operations across Gaza. These actions follow attacks by Hamas in late 2023, which triggered a full-blown war.
So far, the fighting has killed more than 33,000 people in Gaza. Most victims are women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Many others remain trapped in shelters or buried under rubble.
Aid Groups Struggle to Help
Conditions in Gaza keep getting worse. Aid organizations like Doctors Without Borders say they are running out of supplies. Clinics in camps like Al Mawasi treat dozens of injuries each day with limited medicine.
Water, food, and electricity are also in short supply. Families live in tents with no clean water. Many cook over open fires and sleep in shifts due to fear of more attacks.
Families on the Move, Again
After the recent strike, many families began packing up once more. They no longer believe in the “safe zone” label. One aid worker at Al Mawasi told Coleman News that “everyone feels helpless.”
“People moved here thinking it was safe. But now we see no place is safe,” she said.
Pressure Builds for Ceasefire
Following the strike, international leaders repeated their calls for a ceasefire. The United Nations said both sides must protect civilians. Aid groups demanded open access to deliver food and medicine.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “shocked” by strikes in areas meant to shelter civilians. Human rights experts have asked for an independent investigation into the Al Mawasi incident.
Repeated Strikes on Civilian Shelters
Sadly, this isn’t the first attack on shelters. During the conflict, airstrikes have hit schools, hospitals, and even UN-run facilities. Israel claims militants hide among civilians. Critics, however, argue that the attacks are excessive.
Groups like Human Rights Watch say that international law must be followed. Attacks on shelters could be considered war crimes, depending on the evidence.
Gaza’s People Face Growing Risk
More than 2 million people live in Gaza, and most are civilians. Over half of them have been displaced. Many have moved two or three times since the war began.
The drone strike in Al Mawasi is just one of many events showing how dangerous life has become for them. For now, residents continue to move, hoping to find a truly safe place—though options are shrinking fast.
