GENEVA

The EU foreign policy chief "strongly" condemned the deadly Israeli airstrike on a declared "humanitarian safe zone" in southern Gaza on Tuesday and called for accountability.

"War laws must be respected, civilians protected and accountability ensured," Borrell said on X, adding: "We cannot normalise the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza."

At least 40 people were killed and dozens injured in Israeli airstrikes early Tuesday on a tent camp in Khan Younis in al-Mawasi area, which Israel has designated as a “humanitarian safe zone” for displaced civilians in Gaza.

Gaza's civil defense service said the Israeli missiles set refugee tents ablaze and caused craters as deep as nine meters (30 feet) in the area.

Israel has continued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 41,000 people, mostly women and children, have since been killed and nearly 95,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

An ongoing blockade of the enclave has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice.