Israeli forces have launched shelling attacks on tent camps of displaced Palestinians in the north of Rafah in southern Gaza, resulting to death of 25 persons while 50 injured.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry and emergency responders, the attack on Friday added to the series of deadly incidents in Gaza, where intense conflict persists between Israel and Hamas.
Ahmed Radwan, a civil defence spokesperson in Rafah, reported that witnesses informed rescue workers about the shelling at two coastal locations filled with tents.
The Health Ministry confirmed the number of casualties.
The sites of the attacks, as provided by the civil defence, appeared to be just outside an Israeli-designated safe zone.
The Israeli military stated that the incident is under review, noting there is no indication the IDF conducted a strike within the safe zone. They did not provide further details or specify intended targets.
Israel has previously targeted areas near the “humanitarian zone” in Muwasi, a rural coastal area now crowded with tent camps.
Witnesses said a second volley of fire killed people who emerged from their tents following an initial strike near a Red Cross field hospital.
Mona Ashour, who lost her husband in the attack, recounted how a ‘sound bomb’ was followed by a lethal strike when her husband went to investigate.
Associated Press reports that Hasan al-Najjar’s two sons were killed attempting to assist panicked women and children after the first strike. He described how they were struck and killed by a second projectile.
The recent strikes come nearly a month after another deadly Israeli bombing in southern Gaza, which drew significant international condemnation.
Israel maintains it targets Hamas fighters and infrastructure, attributing the high civilian casualty count to militants operating within populated areas.
The ongoing military operation in Rafah has forced over a million Palestinians to flee, exacerbating humanitarian conditions. On the same day, at least ten other Palestinians were killed in different parts of Gaza, including five from an airstrike in Gaza City.
As Israel’s conflict with Hamas extends into its ninth month, international criticism mounts over the extensive civilian casualties and destruction in Gaza.
The United Nations has raised concerns about the risk of genocide, a charge Israel vehemently denies. Israeli offensives have resulted in over 37,100 deaths in Gaza since the war began following Hamas’ deadly incursion into southern Israel on 7 October.
