Palestinians in Rafah faced a grim scene as they searched through the charred remains after a fire swept through a tent camp, causing widespread panic and destruction.

This incident occurred while Israeli forces advanced into the southern Gaza city, despite international calls to cease their offensive.

The blaze, resulting from an airstrike on Sunday that local officials claim killed at least 45 people, led survivors to desperately flee and later identify their loved ones among the ruins.

Israeli tanks have reached Rafah’s city center for the first time, with nearly a million people fleeing and those remaining enduring severe conditions and attacks.

IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari reported that Israel is investigating the incident, stating that the IDF targeted two Hamas militants with munitions not capable of causing such a large fire, NBC News reported.

He suggested that weapons stored in the area might have ignited the blaze, which was deemed “unexpected and unintended.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also referred to the fire as a “tragic incident.” Israeli and U.S. officials suggested that the explosion of a nearby fuel tank, ignited by the airstrike, caused the deadly fire.

Written by B.C. Begley