An Israeli strike on a humanitarian zone in the south of the Gaza Strip killed at least 40 people and injured dozens more, according to the civil defense agency in the Hamas-run enclave.
The AFP news agency cited civil defense official Mohammed al-Mughair as saying that 40 people were killed and 60 were injured in the strike.
The Shehab news agency, which is affiliated with Hamas, and the Wafa news agency, which is linked to the Fatah party that dominates the Palestinian National Authority based in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, also reported 40 deaths.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army said it had targeted a Hamas command center in the area and accused Hamas of using human shields.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) accused Palestinian militant groups of continuing to "systematically abuse civilian and humanitarian infrastructure, including the designated Humanitarian Area, to carry out terrorist activity against the State of Israel and IDF troops."
Hamas denied claims that its fighters were present at the site, calling it a "blatant lie."
The strike hit the Mawasi area of the southern city of Khan Younis, which had been designated as a humanitarian area by Israel.
The Gaza civil emergency service said at least 20 tents caught on fire and missiles caused craters as deep as nine meters (30 feet).
