(Scypre.com) – On Sunday, Palestinian health workers reported that Israeli airstrikes in Rafah, a southern city in Gaza, resulted in the deaths of at least 35 people. The strikes targeted tents housing displaced individuals, leaving many trapped under the flaming debris. This attack came shortly after Hamas launched a barrage of rockets from Gaza towards central Israel, triggering rocket sirens in cities like Tel Aviv for the first time in months.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health released a statement confirming the fatalities and injuries, mostly among women and children. The Ministry emphasized the unprecedented scale of the violence and the severe shortages of essential supplies such as water, food, medicine, electricity, and fuel in Gaza.
Eyewitnesses on the ground described eight airstrikes hitting tents in western Rafah, though these accounts have not been independently verified. Casualties, including civilians, were taken to the Emirati Hospital. The targeted tents were part of a camp located about 650 feet from the largest United Nations warehouse in Gaza.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the strike, stating that they targeted a Hamas compound in Rafah. According to the IDF, the operation aimed at legitimate targets under international law, utilizing precise munitions based on accurate intelligence. The IDF is aware of reports indicating civilian casualties resulting from the strike and subsequent fire, and they are reviewing the incident.
Footage from the scene showed extensive destruction, with a spokesperson from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society indicating that the death toll might increase as rescue efforts continue in Rafah’s Tal al-Sultan neighborhood. The society also noted that the location had been designated by Israel as a “humanitarian area.” This airstrike occurred two days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to cease its military operations in Rafah.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was in Rafah on Sunday, where he was briefed on the ongoing operations. The reported airstrike coincided with a significant rocket attack by Hamas, which set off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv for the first time in months, demonstrating Hamas’ resilience more than seven months into the conflict. Hamas’ military wing claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it was in retaliation for “Zionist massacres against civilians.”
The IDF reported that its air defenses intercepted several projectiles after eight rockets were launched from Rafah towards Israel. While militants have frequently fired projectiles at communities around Gaza, this marks the first long-range rocket attack in months.
The escalation in violence followed the entry of aid trucks into Gaza from southern Israel through a new agreement to bypass the Rafah crossing with Egypt. Earlier this month, Israeli forces seized control of Rafah. However, it remains uncertain whether humanitarian groups will be able to access the aid due to ongoing fighting.
Egypt has refused to reopen its side of the Rafah crossing until control of the Gaza side is returned to Palestinians. A temporary diversion of traffic through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing was agreed upon after discussions between U.S. President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. The conflict, now in its eighth month, has resulted in the deaths of nearly 36,000 Palestinians, with around 80% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents displaced and severe hunger widespread.
The war began on October 7, when Hamas militants launched an attack into Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Hamas continues to hold around 100 hostages and the remains of 30 others, despite most being released during a cease-fire last year.
U.S. diplomatic efforts to negotiate the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are ongoing, with negotiators from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States involved in the talks. A senior Biden administration official expressed optimism about the progress, stating that contacts would continue through the coming week to advance the negotiating process.