The Israeli military on Wednesday said it had carried out a strike on a mosque in the Gaza Strip, claiming the site was being used by Hamas as a weapons storage facility.
AFP images from Gaza City on Tuesday showed flames and a large cloud of smoke rising above tents sheltering displaced Palestinians during the strike on the Al-Muttaqin Mosque.
Following the attack, Palestinians were seen searching through piles of rubble and debris at the site.
“Over the past week, the (Israeli military) struck and dismantled several Hamas weapons storage facilities in the central and northern Gaza Strip,” the military said.
“One of the storage facilities had been established inside a mosque in the northern Gaza Strip,” it added, saying warnings had been issued to civilians ahead of the operation.
The strike occurred despite a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which has failed to completely halt violence in Gaza. Israeli forces have continued operations against targets they identify as militants, while efforts to reach a lasting peace agreement remain stalled.