At least 31 Palestinians were killed by Israeli airstrikes in Rafah early Saturday – just hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said an attack on the city was inevitable and ordered a coalition evacuation plan.
Hundreds of thousands of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents fled to cities on the border with Egypt in the past four months after they were displaced by Israeli ground attacks in other parts of the tiny territory.
Israel has been shelling Rafah for most of the past week, and warned those sheltering there to move north to Khan Younis, Gaza’s second-largest city, which has been the site of a month-long offensive by the Israel Defense Forces.
Three attacks overnight on a house in Rafah killed multiple members of three families – including 10 children, the youngest of whom was just 3 months old.
Hamas has previously warned of “tens of thousands” of casualties if Israel goes ahead with plans to attack Rafah.
On Saturday, Saudi Arabia warned Israel against “the very dangerous effects of storming and targeting the town of Rafah in the Gaza Strip.”
Palestinians mourn the relatives of those killed in the Israeli bombing in Rafah. AP Palestinians put out a car that caught fire due to an Israeli attack. Reuters
The city is “the last refuge for hundreds of thousands of people,” the official statement said.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry now says the death toll of Palestinians is 28,064. The Ministry does distinguish between civilians and Hamas fighters.
Also on Saturday, Israel reportedly targeted Hamas terrorists in an attack launched about 37 miles over the Lebanese border.
People inspect the damage to their homes following the strike on Saturday. Getty Images
The operative survived the attack, but three others were killed – including a Hazbollah fighter, security sources said.
A few hours later, Hezbollah claimed that it seized an Israeli Skylark drone “in good condition.”
Meanwhile, Syrian officials claimed that they shot down an Israeli missile near the occupied Golan Heights early Saturday.
Two women hug in the middle of the bombardment in southern Gaza. AFP via Getty Images
The alleged missile strikes marked the second such attack in less than 24 hours.
Israel is reportedly still at odds with Washington after President Biden told reporters that the military response to the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack was “too high.”
Biden is now sending CIA director Bill Burns to Cairo next week for meetings with Egyptian and Qatari officials, two US and Israeli officials told Axios. The talks will target an agreement for a ceasefire and the return of the remaining hostages taken on Oct. 7.
With Postal wire
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
