Around 80 people remain missing under the rubble, sparking fears the death toll could rise further.
The Israeli military said it had targeted “senior Hamas terrorists” responsible for orchestrating attacks in the area.
Officials claimed multiple precautions were taken to minimize civilian harm, blaming Hamas for allegedly using residential blocks as human shields.
Video circulating locally showed rescuers and residents frantically searching debris for survivors.
“Dust and destruction filled the place,” one witness told local media, describing a “horrific massacre.”
First responders said the strikes unleashed “multiple missiles,” impacting numerous families seeking refuge in the district.
Ongoing offensive
Israel’s military campaign across Gaza resumed on 18 March after a collapse in ceasefire talks, with the stated aim of destroying what it calls Hamas’ “terror infrastructure.”
Medics in the Hamas-run territory say over 1,500 people have been killed since operations intensified, while Israeli ground forces push deeper into eastern Gaza to secure strategic corridors and pressure Hamas to release hostages taken in an unprecedented 7 October 2023 cross-border assault.
Large swaths of Gaza have been declared evacuation zones, displacing hundreds of thousands, according to UN figures. Secretary General António Guterres and international aid agencies have criticized Israel’s ongoing blockade, warning that restrictions on vital supplies violate international law and exacerbate civilian suffering.
(jh)
Source: BBC, Al Jazeera