Israeli airstrike devastates Rafah refugee camp, leaving many casualties
Israeli armed forces carried out a retaliatory attack on Sunday on the city of Rafah, located in the Palestinian Authority. At least 30 people were killed.
Israel conducted the airstrike on Rafah after Palestinian Hamas launched rocket attacks on Tel Aviv for the first time in several months.
According to the Associated Press, the Israeli attack destroyed tents for displaced persons in a refugee camp where about 110,000 people reside.
According to the organization of Palestinian doctors, 22 people were killed in Israel's Sunday attack. Meanwhile, Hamas claims that as many as 30 people lost their lives. The number of injured remains unknown.
Israel bombed a refugee camp, many killed
Videos published by outlets, including Al Jazeera, recorded just after the airstrike, have surfaced online. They show a wholly devastated camp, where tents and vehicles are burning. People can be seen on site trying to extinguish the fire in makeshift ways. Thick smoke is in the air. Screams can be heard. Children are present on the scene.
In a published statement, the Israeli Armed Forces confirmed the attack, stating that it targeted a "Hamas compound in Rafah in which significant Hamas terrorists were operating." The attack was said to be carried out based on precise intelligence data and using precise ammunition.
The army acknowledged that it received information indicating that many civilians were harmed. "The incident is under review," it added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated after his war cabinet meeting on Sunday that he is "firmly opposed" to ending military operations in the Gaza Strip.
Israel ignores all calls for a ceasefire
Since the start of the war between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, initiated in October 2023, approximately 1.4 million out of 2.3 million Palestinians residing in the Gaza Strip have taken refuge in Rafah.
The international community warns that operations in this city will lead to further civilian casualties and worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave.
