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Israeli army strikes mosque in Gaza, claims it was Hamas weapons depot
The Israeli army destroyed a mosque in the Gaza Strip, claiming it was used by Hamas as a weapons depot. A Palestinian official said the mosque was completely destroyed, calling Israel's justification 'fake.'
The Israeli army announced it struck a mosque in the Gaza Strip. A military spokesperson cited the reason for the attack as the mosque being used as a weapons depot by Hamas.
In a statement on Wednesday, it was indicated that numerous Hamas weapons depots in central and northern Gaza had been struck over the past week. The Israeli army claimed that one of these depots was set up inside a mosque in northern Gaza.
Destruction Footage and Evacuation
Footage shot by AFP on Tuesday in Gaza City showed heavy smoke and flames rising from the area after the Al-Mu'taqin Mosque was struck. A large column of smoke formed over tents sheltering displaced Palestinians during the attack.
Dozens of Palestinians were recorded evacuating the area before the attack, and cameras captured moments of Palestinians searching through piles of rubble after the attack.
Response from Palestinian Official
The Director General of the Gaza Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, Amir Abu al-Amareen, said the mosque was "completely destroyed" in the airstrike. Abu al-Amareen stated, "The occupying forces are trying to legitimize these crimes with false pretexts such as claims that there was a military facility. We call for urgent international intervention to protect mosques and places of worship."
Call from Witness
Witness Shahad Badawi expressed his helplessness to AFP. Badawi said, "What kind of ceasefire is this? There are attacks every day, every hour, every breath. There are attacks everywhere. They threaten and strike; whether it's a civilian vehicle or anything else, they bomb it."
Losses Continue Despite Ceasefire
Despite the fragile ceasefire that came into effect in October 2025, violence in Gaza has not stopped. Since the start of the ceasefire, 1,207 people have lost their lives. Israeli forces continue to target Palestinians they allege are militants, while efforts for a deal to permanently end the war are stalled.
According to a statement by UNESCO as of March 24, 2026, 164 sites have been confirmed damaged in the Gaza war that began with Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023. It said 14 of these sites were religious structures.
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