At least 21 people were killed in a major fire in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, reports news agency Reuters. According to the BBC at least ten children are among the victims. According to a local hospital director, the number of deaths is likely to rise even further.
The fire broke out in a building in the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp, several kilometers north of Gaza City. A party was taking place at that time, health and emergency services said. It is not yet clear how the fire started, but according to local authorities, fuel was stored in the building and a gas leak is suspected.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called it a national tragedy and announced a day of mourning on Friday. The Palestinian authorities have also asked Israel to open the border crossing, which is normally closed at night, to patients in critical condition. This way they can also be treated outside the Gaza Strip. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced on Twitter that his staff will assist in the “humanitarian evacuations of the wounded to Israeli hospitals.”
The Gaza Strip is home to 2.3 million people, one of the most densely populated areas in the world. The strip is about 40 kilometers long and 6 to 12 kilometers wide. According to the UN, nearly 600,000 refugees in Gaza live in eight overcrowded camps, of which Jabalia is said to be the largest.
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