The Israeli airstrike in the southern city of Rafah on Sunday night resulted in the death of 35 people and injuries to dozens more, according to Hamas-run health authorities in Gaza. The majority of the victims were women and children, with the health authority describing the bombing as a “massacre.” The Palestinian Red Crescent also reported numerous casualties on social media after the bombardment in north-west Rafah, where medics said at least 28 people were killed when tents housing displaced people were hit by the airstrike.
Footage from the scene showed makeshift shelters on fire, and it was unclear how many people were trapped or under debris. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported treating dozens of wounded individuals at a medical facility they support, with 15 dead people brought to their trauma stabilization point.
Despite Israel’s statement that two senior Hamas officials were killed in the airstrike, criticism of Israel has been growing as the death toll among Palestinians continues to rise. The war in Gaza was triggered by a massacre of over 1,200 people by militants from the Palestinian Islamist Hamas group and others on October 7, to which Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive. With the death toll currently over 35,000 according to Hamas authorities in Gaza, calls for an immediate and sustained ceasefire in the region have been intensifying.
