2021 Wehda Street airstrikes

The Wehda Street airstrikes, known in Palestine as the Wehda Street massacre (Arabic: مجزرة شارع الوحدة), took place on May 16, 2021, when Israeli forces bombed Wehda Street, a densely populated area located in one of Gaza's most prominent residential and commercial neighbourhoods. The bombardment was the single deadliest operation in an 11-day conflict between Israel and Gaza that erupted after weeks of turmoil in East Jerusalem. Some 44 Palestinian civilians died and approximately 50 were injured in the strike, the heaviest of many that, in exchanges between the IDF and Gaza militants, left 2500 Palestinians homeless, and displaced tens of thousands.

The incident sparked outrage internationally. Israel stated the purpose of the attack was to destroy underground military infrastructure, including a Hamas command centre, though a New York Times investigation has suggested that they did not have precise information about the location of said command centre. An IDF spokesmen later said that the collateral damage was an unforeseen 'freak' consequence of a bombing run targeting tunnels under the street, and possibly due to secondary explosions. No advanced warning was given to Palestinian civilians in the area, with Israel stating that this was because they didn't expect this level of damage.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and commentators have raised the possibility that the strike might constitute a war crime due to its disproportionate impact on civilian life. HRW also states that no evidence has been given that tunnels or an underground centre existed in the area.