Israeli Air Strike Hits Refugee Camp in Gaza, Killing 50 Palestinians and Hamas Commander

Illustration of Israeli fighter jets. (Wikimedia Commons/Deror Avi)

JAKARTA - Israeli airstrikes hit densely populated refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 50 Palestinians and a Hamas commander, while medical workers struggled to treat the victims, even setting up an operating room in the hospital corridor.

Israeli tanks have begun entering Gaza, at least for the last four days, after weeks of aerial bombardment in retaliation for attacks by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on their country's southern region, killing more than 1,538 citizens, wounding around 5,400 and taking more than 200 hostage.

In an announcement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its fighter jets targeted Gaza's largest refugee camp, Jabalia, killing a key Hamas official, Ibrahim Biari.

"He was very important, in fact I think very important in the planning and implementation of the October 7 attack on Israel from the northeastern part of the Gaza Strip," said IDF spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, reported by Reuters on November 1.

Conricus further said that dozens of Hamas fighters were in the same underground tunnel complex as Biari and were also killed when the tunnel collapsed in the attack, Conricus said.

"And I understand that this is also the reason why there are many reports of additional damage and casualties on the non-combat side. We are also investigating this," he explained.

Meanwhile, Palestinian health officials said at least 50 residents were killed in the refugee camp and 150 others were injured.

However, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem denied there were any senior commanders there, calling Israel's unilateral claim an excuse for Israel to kill civilians.

A Hamas statement said there were 400 people killed and injured in Jabalia, which hosts families displaced by war with Israel since 1948. Reuters could not independently verify the number of reported casualties.

The explosion left a large crater surrounded by the ruins of concrete buildings.

It is known that Israel has sent repeated warnings to Gaza residents to evacuate the northern region. Although many who fled to the south obeyed the warning, there were also many who did not evacuate.

As of Tuesday, the death toll from Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip had reached 8,525 people, said the Ministry of Health in Gaza, quoted by Anadolu.

"The victims included 3,542 children and 2,187 women, while 21,543 people were injured," ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said at a press conference in Gaza City.

Furthermore, he said the ministry had received reports that around 2,000 people were still trapped under the rubble, including 1,100 children.

Al-Qudra added that 130 medics were killed and 25 ambulances destroyed in Israeli airstrikes since October 7.

"The occupation forces deliberately targeted 57 health facilities, forcing 15 hospitals and 32 primary care centers to malfunction," he added.