At least nine Palestinians were killed Thursday when a fire broke out at a busy market in central Gaza Strip, the health ministry said.
The flames that spread rapidly through the market at the Nusseirat refugee camp also injured 58 people, of them 14 were in critical condition, according to the ministry.
Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire, which burnt a bakery, several stores and dozens of stalls and vehicles.
With a population of nearly 2 million, the Gaza Strip is one of the world's most densely populated areas. It's a 360-square-kilometer (139-square-mile) corridor of land, sandwiched between Israel and Egypt.
The two countries imposed a blockade on the territory when the militant Hamas group seized it in 2007.
The blockade, three devastating wars with Israel and dozens of skirmishes have damaged Gaza's infrastructure.
