DEIR AL BALAH: Gaza's Health Ministry says it has confirmed that at least 19 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a tent camp in a designated humanitarian zone.
The Civil Defence, first responders who operate under the Hamas-run government, had earlier said that 40 people were killed in the strike early Tuesday. The Israeli military disputed that toll, saying it had used precise munitions against a group of militants.
Gaza's Health Ministry is also part of the Hamas-run government but its figures are widely seen as generally reliable. It maintains detailed records and its tallies from previous wars have largely coincided with figures from independent researchers, the UN and even the Israeli military.
The Health Ministry said the toll from Tuesday's strike could rise.
The Health Ministry and the Civil Defence did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the discrepancy.