Gaza: 12 killed in Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah 'safe-zone'

Areas of central Gaza were under Israeli bombardment on Wednesday morning after 12 civilians were killed on Tuesday in Deir al-Balah, an Israeli-declared "safe-zone".

Nine members of the Hamdan family, including women and children were killed alongside three others after fleeing Khan Younis following evacuation orders only to be killed by an air strike arriving at a building in the city further north, news agency AP reported.

As many as 250,000 Palestinians have been displaced by the latest Israeli evacuation orders as the war nears its ninth month and Israel re-entered the southern city of Khan Younis on Monday to allegedly target Islamic Jihad members.

Local reports said that at least two people were killed by an Israeli strike on Maghazi camp in central Gaza with the north-western part of Nuseirat refugee camp also under shelling.

Meanwhile, the UN continues to warn of disastrous humanitarian conditions in Gaza with 80 percent of Palestinians displaced and facing widespread disease, hunger and a collapsed health system.

© Al-Araby Al-Jadeed