On Monday, the Hamas-run health authority in Gaza reported that 35 people were killed and dozens injured in an Israeli airstrike near the southern city of Rafah. The victims were mostly women and children, and the health authority described the bombing on Sunday night as a “massacre.” The Palestinian Red Crescent had earlier stated on social media that there were “numerous” people killed and injured in the attack northwest of Rafah.
Medics in the Gaza Strip confirmed that at least 28 people were killed when the airstrike hit tents housing displaced people. Footage from the scene showed makeshift shelters on fire, with many people trapped or under debris. The Palestinian Red Crescent also stated that the air raid hit a designated humanitarian zone for those who had been forced to evacuate Rafah due to Israeli fighting.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) treated dozens of wounded individuals and more than 15 dead bodies were brought to their trauma stabilization point. MSF expressed horror at the event and called for an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) defended the strike, stating it was carried out against legitimate targets under international law. They claimed to have used precise munitions based on intelligence indicating Hamas’ use of the area. However, they also acknowledged reports of harm to civilians in