The Jabaliya camp in Gaza was attacked for the second time in two days, with AFPTV images from Wednesday’s attack showing widespread damage and rescue workers combing debris to pull out bloodied casualties.
The Hamas-run health ministry said dozens were killed and wounded in the attack, which came a day after Israeli jets attacked the camp, killing at least 47, according to AFP calculations.
Rescue workers said “the entire family” had died, but the number of casualties could not be immediately confirmed. The Israeli army did not comment.
UN chief Antonio Guterres was “appalled” by Israeli air strikes on residential areas of the densely populated Jabaliya refugee camp, a spokesman said, while the UN human rights office said the attacks “may amount to a war crime”.
Israel said Tuesday’s raid was a successful attack on top Hamas commander Ibrahim Biari, but the high death toll drew international condemnation, even from Bolivia, which severed diplomatic ties in protest.
Jordan recalled its ambassador to Israel “to condemn the Israeli war that is killing innocent people in Gaza”.
Hamas said seven of the 240 hostages it held, including three foreign passport holders, were killed in Tuesday’s bombing, a claim it was impossible to verify.
The group’s leader Ismail Haniyeh accused Israel of carrying out “barbaric massacres against unarmed civilians”, saying it was covering up its “defeat”.