IDF strikes Gaza City mosque, claims it was used for weapons storage
Army says Al-Muttaqin Mosque was among Hamas sites struck this week, but offers no evidence of arms there; Indonesian activists file complaint against PM for flotilla ‘abuses’
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The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday struck a mosque in Gaza City, saying Wednesday that it was one of several Hamas weapons depots in the central and northern Gaza Strip that it destroyed this week.
Footage from Gaza City on Tuesday showed fire and a huge plume of smoke rising above tents housing displaced Gazans during a strike on the Al-Muttaqin Mosque.
The army said the site was used for weapons storage, adding that it was “another example of terror organizations using civilian infrastructure for terror purposes.”
The IDF said the weapons were intended to be used in attacks on Israeli troops in Gaza and Israeli civilians, and the sites were struck “to remove the threat.”
The military did not share any photos or videos showing that the mosque was used for weapons storage.
Footage showed dozens of Palestinians evacuating the area before the mosque was hit, as well as the moment it was struck, indicating prior warning from the IDF.
An Israeli air strike hit Al-Muttaqin Mosque in Gaza City on Tuesday, located next to Yarmouk Stadium, where dozens of displaced Palestinians are sheltering in tents. pic.twitter.com/dW5KZnVFjS
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) July 29, 2026
“Is this a ceasefire? Every day there are attacks, every hour, every breath. There are attacks everywhere. They threaten and strike, whether it’s civilian vehicles or anything else they bomb,” Shehadeh Badawi, an eyewitness, told AFP in the aftermath of the strike.
Amir Abu Al-Amrain, the director general of the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs in the Gaza Strip, said Israeli forces had “completely destroyed” the mosque in the airstrike. He claimed Israel offered “false pretexts — such as the alleged presence of military sites — to justify these crimes,” and called for urgent intervention to protect mosques and places of worship.
Israel has long accused Hamas of fighting from civilian areas, including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques. In previous cases, it has oftem provided evidence to that effect.
Activists ask Jakarta to prosecute Netanyahu for crimes against humanity
Meanwhile, nine Indonesians who were among global activists detained aboard an anti-Israel Gaza activist flotilla in May filed a complaint against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday alleging that he committed crimes against humanity, their lawyer told AFP.
The men were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla intercepted by Israel and detained along with more than 400 other activists, some for days.
The group asked Indonesia’s attorney general to investigate Israel for offenses including piracy at sea and crimes against humanity, said lawyer Kafin Muhammad.
“We are asking the attorney general of the Republic of Indonesia to conduct an investigation into crimes allegedly committed by Zionist Israel,” he told AFP.
The complaint includes testimony from the volunteers about abuses they claim to have suffered during their detention by Israeli authorities, he added.
A spokesman for the Attorney General’s office did not reply to an AFP request for comment.
Israel’s treatment of the flotilla activists sparked an international outcry after National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir posted a video of the volunteers, who were made to kneel with their hands tied behind their backs.
Israel and Indonesia do not have formal diplomatic relations.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.