UN chief 'strongly condemns' Israeli airstrike on ‘safe zone’ in Gaza

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday "strongly" condemned a deadly Israeli airstrike on a declared "humanitarian safe zone" in the southern Gaza Strip.

"I can tell you that the Secretary-General (Guterres) is deeply alarmed by the continued loss of life in Gaza. He strongly condemns today's Israeli airstrike in an Israeli designated zone for displaced persons in Khan Younis," spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

"The use of heavy weapons in densely populated areas is unconscionable," he said in conveying Guterres’s message.

Saying that the Palestinians were displaced from the area, "in search of safety," Dujarric reiterated the UN chief's demand for an immediate cease-fire and the release of all hostages in Gaza.

At least 40 people were killed and dozens injured in the airstrike early Tuesday on a tent camp in Khan Younis in the al-Mawasi area, which Israel designated as a "humanitarian safe zone" for displaced civilians in Gaza.

Gaza’s Civil Defense service said Israeli missiles set refugee tents ablaze and caused craters as deep as nine meters (30 feet).

Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 41,000 people, mostly women and children, have since been killed and nearly 95,000 injured, according to local health authorities.

An ongoing blockade of the enclave has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice.