Israeli Airstrikes Kill Dozens in Southern Gaza City

At least 35 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Sunday, with women and children making up most of the dead, according to Palestinian health workers. The attacks targeted tents for displaced people, with “numerous” others trapped in flaming debris.

The airstrikes came just two days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to end its military offensive in Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population had sought shelter before Israel’s incursion earlier this month. Tens of thousands of people remain in the area while others have fled.

Footage from the scene showed heavy destruction, with Israel’s army confirming the strike and stating that it hit a Hamas installation, killing two senior Hamas militants. The army is investigating reports of civilian casualties. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was in Rafah on Sunday and was briefed on the “deepening of operations” there.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society stated that the death toll could rise as search and rescue efforts continue in Rafah’s Tal al-Sultan neighborhood. The neighborhood, about two kilometers northwest of the city center, had been designated by Israel as a “humanitarian area.”

The airstrikes occurred after Hamas fired rockets from Gaza, setting off air raid sirens as far away as Tel Aviv for the first time in months. Israeli forces intercepted the rockets, and the launcher was destroyed.

Humanitarian aid trucks entered Gaza from southern Israel under a new agreement to bypass the Rafah crossing with Egypt. However, it is unclear if aid can be accessed due to ongoing fighting. The United Nations has called on Israel to ensure the safe pickup and delivery of humanitarian supplies entering Gaza.

The war between Israel and Hamas has killed nearly 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Roughly 80% of Gaza’s population has fled their homes, and parts of the territory are experiencing famine.

Hamas initiated the war with an attack into Israel, leading to ongoing conflict and civilian casualties. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel must take over Rafah to eliminate remaining Hamas forces and achieve “total victory” over the militants.

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the conflict showing no signs of abating anytime soon.