Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip - July 11, 2024

At least 29 people were killed Tuesday, with dozens injured, after an Israeli airstrike hit a tent encampment where hundreds of displaced people were sheltering in the town of Abasan, east of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, according to Palestinian officials.

The Israeli airstrike targeted a gathering of food vendors in front of a UNRWA-run school, with the majority being women and children, according to witnesses interviewed by China Global Television Network (CGTN).

"We were surprised when a missile fell on us here at school. We are defenseless civilians who have nothing to do with anything. Children were playing and there were many stall vendors selling simple things and hundreds of children around the place. What sin did the children commit to be killed by this missile!" said Asmaa Qudaih, an eyewitness.

Mahmoud Abu Daqqa, father to one of the deceased children, told CGTN that despite his great loss, he will not leave the school together with his family because there is no other safe place in Gaza.

"They were just innocent and were not resistant at all. They bombed people who were shopping and displaced children. I lost my son, six of my cousins, and two of my other cousins," he said.

In addition to the dead, dozens of wounded arrived at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis for treatment. Some of the wounded had serious injuries that led to amputations.

"The injuries were very critical, due to the spread of shrapnel, which led to paralysis, amputation of limbs, and many injuries in the skull, in addition to the severe shortage of medical supplies, which greatly affected the medical care provided," said Muhammad Al-hoor, nurse at Nasser Hospital.

Israel's military said it used "precise munition" targeting a Hamas fighter that allegedly took part in the militant group's October 7 attack on Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they were reviewing reports of people injured in Tuesday's strike.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the number of Palestinians killed since the start of the Hamas-Israeli conflict has reached some 38,300.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) confirmed that Israel has bombed two-thirds of UNRWA schools since the start of the conflict in Gaza last October, including four during the past four days only.

SHOTLIST:
Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip - July 9-11, 2024
1. Various of displaced people at encampment; destroyed tents;
2. Various of destroyed tents;
3. Asmaa Qudaih, eyewitness, showing debris bombed by of Israeli airstrike;
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic, dubbed with English) Asmaa Qudaih, eyewitness of Israeli airstrike:
"We were surprised when a missile fell on us here at school. We are defenseless civilians who have nothing to do with anything. Children were playing and there were many stall vendors selling simple things and hundreds of children around the place. What sin did the children commit to be killed by this missile!";
5. Various of Mahmoud Abu Daqqa, father of deceased child, searching through rubble after Israeli strike;
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic, dubbed with English) Mahmoud Abu Daqqa, father of deceased child:
"They were just innocent and were not resistant at all. They bombed people who were shopping and displaced children. I lost my son, six of my cousins, and two of my other cousins.";
7. Various of people transferring wounded at hospital;
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic, dubbed with English) Muhammad Al-hoor, nurse, Nasser Hospital:
"The injuries were very critical, due to the spread of shrapnel, which led to paralysis, amputation of limbs, and many injuries in the skull, in addition to the severe shortage of medical supplies, which greatly affected the medical care provided.";
9. Various of people transferring wounded at hospital;
10. Various of rubbles; UNRWA staff at bombed area.

[Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]