An Israeli airstrike on a mosque near the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, killed at least five people and wounded 20 others early on Sunday, according to medical sources.
Eyewitnesses reported that the mosque was being used as a shelter for displaced people, and the number of casualties could increase.
The Israeli military stated that it had carried out a "precise strike" on Hamas militants who were operating from a command and control centre within a structure that had previously served as the "Shuhada Al-Aqsa" Mosque in the Deir Al-Balah area.
This incident occurred as the conflict in the Palestinian enclave nears its first anniversary. The current escalation began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and capturing approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
In response, Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza, which has so far resulted in the deaths of nearly 42,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry.
The violence has displaced nearly all of the territory's 2.3 million residents, triggered a hunger crisis, and led to allegations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, claims that Israel denies.
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