January 31, 2024 – Israel-Hamas war
Two aid agencies are claiming they have evidence that indicates Israel carried out a strike earlier this month on a compound housing humanitarian workers and their families in a supposed safe zone in Gaza.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) said an independent assessment carried out by the United Nations concluded that the damage was caused by an airstrike most likely involving a missile package exclusively possessed by the Israeli military.
“The Israeli military is the only armed actor in Gaza with access to this weaponry,” the statement on Wednesday said. The strike took place on January 18.
CNN has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment on the claims.
More context: Although officially designated as a safe zone by the IDF, Al Mawasi – a 5.22 square mile (13.5 square kilometer) coastal strip where the compound was located – has suffered several strikes in recent weeks, according to reports from the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza and the Palestinian state news agency, WAFA.
The two organizations reiterated that attacks against these kinds of settings violate international humanitarian law. Despite remaining committed to serving the “humanitarian imperative,” the IRC and MAP likened the current situation in Gaza however to fighting a “losing battle.”
CNN is unable to independently confirm these claims due to the difficulty of reporting from the war zone.
