An Israeli strike hit a residential block in the densely populated Al-Shati (Beach Camp) refugee camp in Gaza City on Wednesday, producing heavy flames and smoke. Residents said the attack followed evacuation warnings issued for part of Hamid Street; there were no immediate official casualty reports from that strike. The camp, established in 1948 and home to roughly 90,000 people per UNRWA (2023), now resembles an urban neighbourhood. The incident comes amid targeted Israeli operations against suspected Hamas figures, including a recent raid that led to the capture of Moein Muhammad al-Arabid, while medical sources report multiple civilian deaths in recent raids.
Israeli Strike Hits Residential Block In Al-Shati (Beach Camp) Refugee Camp, Gaza
Israeli missiles struck the densely populated Al-Shati camp in northern Gaza City on Wednesday - Dawoud Abu Alkas /Reuters
An Israeli strike struck a residential building inside the Al-Shati (Beach Camp) refugee camp in Gaza City on Wednesday, residents and local sources said.
Video from the scene showed flames and thick smoke pouring from a multi-storey apartment block in the densely populated northern section of the camp. Local residents reported that the strike followed warnings from the Israeli military instructing people to evacuate parts of Hamid Street near its end. There were no immediate official casualty reports from this particular strike.
A missile descends towards a house during an Israeli strike on Al Shati refugee camp - REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
What Happened
Al-Shati, commonly called Beach Camp and located on the Mediterranean coast, was established in 1948 to accommodate Palestinians displaced during that year’s Arab–Israeli war. Although still described as a refugee camp, the area now resembles an urban neighbourhood and, according to 2023 figures from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), is home to roughly 90,000 people.
A missile was seen descending toward a house during the strike, and smoke was reported billowing from the impact site. Photographs and video of the incident circulated on social media and were shared with news outlets.
Smoke billows after the missile's impact - REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Context And Recent Developments
Last year, Hamas and Israel reportedly accepted a 20-point peace plan proposed by Donald Trump that included a suspension of "all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment," and led to an agreed halt to broader hostilities. Despite that framework, Israel says it has continued to carry out targeted strikes against individuals it identifies as members of Hamas.
Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli special forces had captured Moein Muhammad al-Arabid, described as the head of Hamas's internal security service, in a ground operation in Gaza City. Mr Netanyahu said Mr al-Arabid had "engaged in attempts to restore Hamas's governance in Gaza and in deception concerning the demilitarisation of the Strip." An Israeli military spokesman said forces had targeted a Hamas operative in related operations and that the military was assessing the results.
Casualties And Reactions
Doctors told the BBC that at least four Palestinians, including two children and a woman, were killed in recent raids; Hamas condemned those strikes as a "grave crime" and a violation of the ceasefire. On Sunday, an Israeli strike in western Gaza City reportedly killed a man and his eight-year-old daughter, Mohamed Abu Selmia, head of Al Shifa Hospital, said; six other people were reported wounded. Later the same day, separate strikes were reported to have killed two more people, including a three-year-old boy who was sheltering at a school housing displaced families.
Casualty figures remain difficult to verify independently. The situation on the ground is fluid and developing, with families, aid agencies and medical sources calling for greater protection for civilians in densely populated areas.
Photo credit: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas (images circulated of the strike and smoke at the site)
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