At least 35 Killed As Israeli Strikes Hit Refugee Camp In Rafah, Majority Women And Children: Report

The Israel airstrike struck a refugee camp in Gaza on Sunday claiming the lives of 35 people, dozens injured.

Israel’s fresh strike in Gaza on Sunday claimed the lives of 35 people and left dozens injured, according to CNN, citing the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. As per the ministry’s statement, the majority of those killed and injured are women and children. 

The airstrike struck a refugee camp, according to officials from Gaza and the Palestine Red Crescent Society. Social media videos depicted a significant fire, with paramedics and firefighters striving to handle the aftermath. The targeted area included a sizable container serving as a shelter for numerous families, surrounded by numerous tents. 

In an earlier statement, the ministry said, "There is no hospital in Rafah with enough capacity to take this number of killed and injured, causing confusion among ambulance teams on where to transfer them."

According to a CNN report, Gaza's government office stated that the Israeli army had marked these areas as safe zones, urging citizens and displaced individuals to seek shelter there. However, when displaced people sought refuge in these areas, they reportedly came under attack. 

In a post on X, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated, "An IDF aircraft struck a Hamas compound in Rafah in which significant Hamas terrorists were operating a short while ago. The strike was carried out against legitimate targets under international law through the use of precise munitions and on the basis of precise intelligence that indicated Hamas' use of the area. The IDF is aware of reports indicating that, as a result of the strike and fire that was ignited, several civilians in the area were harmed. The incident is under review." 

As per the IDF, those killed in the airstrike include the Hamas Chief of Staff in Judea and Samaria, along with another senior Hamas official. 

According to the Israeli health ministry, CNN reported that the airstrike was detected after sirens were activated in Tel Aviv and certain areas of central Israel on Sunday following rocket fire directed at the city. 

Since January of last year, there have not been any rocket launches in the city. 

(Based on inputs from ANI)