At least 10 Palestinians were killed Thursday when a fire broke out at a busy market in the central Gaza Strip, the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled coastal enclave said.
The flames that spread rapidly through the market at the Nusseirat refugee camp also injured 58 people, of whom 14 were in critical condition, according to the ministry. The dead included six children and two women.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
The fire burned a bakery, several stores and dozens of stalls and vehicles. The Hamas' interior ministry said initial findings by investigators indicated a gas leak at the bakery might have started the fire.
Hamas said that Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar had allocated $2 million in compensation for damage and losses the fire caused.
With a population of nearly 2 million, the Gaza Strip is one of the world's most densely populated areas.