An Israeli air strike at the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza has reportedly resulted in the deaths of dozens of people. The strike targeted a senior Hamas commander and underground terror infrastructure, causing a massive explosion that left behind several large craters and shattered buildings.

According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, at least 50 people were killed in the air strike. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported recovering 25 dead civilians. The strike also caused extensive damage to residential buildings in the densely populated camp.

The Israeli military confirmed that the strike had killed a senior Hamas commander and a "large number of terrorists" from the Central Jabalia Battalion, who were with the commander at the time. However, they did not address the reports of civilian casualties.

As the Israeli ground forces continued to advance towards the populated areas of northern Gaza, including Jabalia, it marked the "second phase" of Israel's mission to eliminate Hamas. This operation was initiated in response to a cross-border attack by gunmen from Gaza on October 7th, resulting in a high number of casualties and hostages.

Gaza's health ministry has reported that over 8,500 people have been killed in the troubled region since the escalation of violence. Additionally, the siege imposed by Israel has severely affected the availability of essential supplies, such as food, water, fuel, and medicine, for the 2.2 million residents of Gaza.

Survivors and witnesses at Jabalia described the horrifying scene of destruction, with homes buried under rubble and a large number of casualties. Video footage and photos showed hundreds of people searching through the wreckage.

The director general of the Palestinian Red Crescent, Marwan Jilani, expressed his shock at the incident, stating that their staff uncovered 25 deceased civilians amidst the destruction.

The strike also caused a massive explosion and a towering column of black smoke, which could be seen from inside Israel at the time of the reports.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that they had carried out a "wide-scale strike" on the Central Jabalia Battalion and killed its commander, Ibrahim Biari. The IDF stated that the strike severely damaged Hamas's command and control in the area, hindering their ability to direct military activity against IDF soldiers.

Additionally, the IDF reported that their ground forces had eliminated around 50 Hamas fighters during an operation to secure a military stronghold in western Jabalia. This stronghold contained weapons, firing positions, and tunnels used by the militants.

Meanwhile, Hamas and other Palestinian groups have continued to launch rockets into Israel. Two separate attacks on Tuesday wounded four people in the coastal city of Ashdod.

Jabalia, the largest of Gaza Strip's eight refugee camps, has been repeatedly targeted since the Israeli bombing campaign began. Before the war, the camp housed 116,000 registered residents in an area of just 1.4 sq km (0.5 sq miles).

The situation remains tense as both sides continue to clash, increasing the casualties and destruction in the region.