After investigation by BBC Verify, the Israeli military confirms a strike in Gaza’s al-Mawasi area, revealing operational errors that led to civilian harm amid ongoing conflict.**
Israeli Military Acknowledges Gaza Strike Following BBC Verification**
Israeli Military Acknowledges Gaza Strike Following BBC Verification**
The IDF admits to an unreported artillery strike in Khan Younis, resulting in casualties.**
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have conceded to BBC Verify that it launched an artillery strike on the al-Mawasi region in southern Gaza, a previously undisclosed incident that has left at least one Palestinian dead and injured 30 more. The attack occurred on Sunday, just hours after a separate incident in Rafah claimed the lives of 31 Palestinians, as reported by the Hamas-affiliated Civil Defence agency.
In its investigation, BBC Verify utilized footage that appeared to show the aftermath of the strike, which revealed scenes of chaos in Khan Younis. Initially, the IDF did not acknowledge the strike, which deviated from its standard operational communications. However, when contacted by BBC Verify, the military explained that the artillery fire, meant for a specific target, had gone astray due to “technical and operational errors.” The IDF has not provided substantial evidence to support this claim.
Such admissions from the IDF are notably rare; a review of the military’s official updates indicates only four prior acknowledgments of operational errors throughout the current hostilities in Gaza that escalated in October 2023. The footage collected by BBC Verify depicted a grisly scene of bloodied civilians among dust clouds, as families comprising women and children attempted to flee the devastation.
Witness accounts and video evidence corroborate that the IDF strike hit a shelter area for displaced residents, with the UN estimating that a staggering 90% of Gaza’s 2.1 million inhabitants have been uprooted from their homes since the conflict intensified. The Kuwaiti Field Hospital cited one casualty in the strike, alongside 30 others requiring medical attention.
Originally, the incident was incorrectly linked to the Rafah aid distribution site, but investigative geolocation confirmed the blast originated in Khan Younis, approximately 4.5 km away. The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency initially attributed the deaths in Rafah to “Israeli gunfire,” while the IDF initially denied any engagement in that area, only later clarifying that warning shots were indeed fired.
Further scrutiny of the footage and local journalism verified the timing of the Khan Younis event as occurring shortly before sunset, around 19:00 local time. The IDF’s official stance remains vague, stating that an inquiry into the Khan Younis blast is underway without addressing the exact number of casualties.
The conflicting narratives surrounding the strike have caught the attention of the White House, where press secretary Karoline Leavitt incorrectly asserted that the BBC had retracted its report on the Rafah incident. The BBC countered her statements, emphasizing that they stood by their coverage and that no articles had been removed.
This escalation is part of a broader military campaign initiated by Israel in response to a cross-border attack by Hamas, which resulted in significant Israeli casualties and hostages. Since the onset of the conflict, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry has reported over 54,607 fatalities in Gaza, emphasizing the dire humanitarian crisis amid ongoing warfare.
