Hamas health authorities claim 70 dead in airstrike in central Gaza

Palestinian health officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza claim at least 70 people have been killed in an Israeli airstrike in the center of the Strip, in the Maghazi camp, east of Deir al-Balah.

If true, it is one of the deadliest strikes since the war was sparked by the terror group’s October 7 onslaught in southern Israel, which triggered a fierce bombing campaign and ground offensive.

The Al-Jazeera satellite channel broadcasts footage of frantic Palestinians, including emergency workers, picking through several gutted buildings.

The Hamas-run health ministry says at least 70 people have been killed. The toll cannot be independently verified, and the ministry has been accused in the past of inflating casualty numbers.

There is also no immediate information about whether the victims are civilians or linked to armed groups. Hamas-controlled health authorities never divulge this information.

There is no immediate comment from the IDF.