Israel Attributes High Death Toll in Maghazi Attack to Improper Munitions

 An Israeli military official has attributed the significant death toll resulting from an attack on the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza to the utilization of inappropriate munitions. This revelation sheds light on Israel's military strategies that have led to a substantial number of civilian casualties.

Speaking to the Israeli public broadcaster Kan, the military official stated on Thursday that the assault on Maghazi, claiming the lives of at least 70 individuals, involved the use of munitions deemed unsuitable for a densely populated refugee camp.

"The nature of the attack did not align with the type of munition used, resulting in significant collateral damage that might have been preventable," the official informed the Israeli Kan public broadcaster.

"The Israeli army expresses regret for the harm caused to those not involved and is actively striving to derive lessons from this incident," the official further stated.

"The revelation regarding the bombing, previously under investigation by the Israeli military, emerges amidst reports indicating Israel's frequent use of potent bombs within the densely populated Gaza Strip, despite the heightened potential for civilian casualties.

Earlier this month, CNN, a US news outlet, reported that nearly half of the munitions deployed by Israel in Gaza were unguided 'dumb bombs,' referencing a US intelligence assessment. Such munitions possess lower accuracy levels and pose a heightened risk of causing civilian casualties."

"Previously, the Israeli news outlet +972 reported that the Israeli military had relaxed its criteria concerning acceptable civilian casualties during attacks, leading to a higher proportion of civilian deaths compared to previous military offensives.

According to Palestinian authorities, over 21,000 individuals have lost their lives in Israel's offensive against Gaza, with more than half of the casualties being women and children."

The recent attack on Maghazi adds to a series of incidents casting doubts on the indiscriminate nature of Israel's bombardment, resulting in the transformation of entire neighborhoods in Gaza into piles of debris. On Thursday alone, close to 100 fatalities were reported from attacks across various locations in Gaza.

Palestinian authorities reported that a residential block in the Jabalia refugee camp witnessed at least 90 casualties in Israeli attacks earlier this month. Additionally, in early December, Israeli strikes led to the deaths of 700 Palestinians in a single day.

Those trapped in the besieged enclave of Gaza express a lack of safe havens from Israel's relentless bombardment, even in areas previously advised by Israeli authorities for civilians to seek refuge to avoid conflict.

Aid agencies, including the UN, have condemned the Israeli targeting of schools, hospitals, and residential areas, labeling the Israeli bombing of Gaza as one of the most destructive in recent history.