September, Friday 20, 2024

Israel carries out airstrikes on a heavily populated southern Gaza city, with a significant number of displaced individuals.


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According to officials from the Hamas-run health ministry, ten people were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Rafah, including two displaced families who were seeking shelter in a house. The city's population has increased to over a million people as more displaced individuals from other parts of Gaza seek safety there. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it is investigating these reports. Rockets were also fired from Gaza into southern Israel. One resident, Samir Qeshta, stated that his home was completely destroyed while he and his wife were out, and he expressed shock that they were targeted without any warning. Another resident, Nimma al-Akhras, described the strike as unimaginable and expressed fear for her safety. The IDF temporarily halted military activity in Rafah for humanitarian purposes after earlier strikes. Israel claims to be targeting Hamas members and infrastructure while trying to minimize civilian casualties. However, the health ministry spokesperson said that the infrastructure and medical services in Rafah are unable to meet the needs of the estimated 1.3 million displaced people. Doctors in Nasser hospital reported struggling to provide care due to a collapsed healthcare system and a shortage of medical supplies. Many displaced individuals are seeking shelter in hospital wards. The World Health Organization reported that less than half of Gaza's hospitals are functioning, with very few operational ambulances. In the central Gaza Strip, intense gun battles, tank shelling, and Israeli airstrikes were reported in refugee camps. The IDF claimed to have targeted several locations and killed fighters, while Hamas said they fired at an IDF helicopter. However, these claims cannot be independently verified by the BBC. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, a total of 23,843 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel's military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.