RAFAH: An Israeli airstrike killed 31 Palestinians in central Gaza on Sunday, the Palestinian territory’s civil defence agency said. The deadly attack occurred as US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan visited Israel for talks on the conflict, AFP reported.
Israeli forces intensified their operations in the far-southern city of Rafah, where the United States reported that 800,000 Palestinian civilians have been newly displaced due to the ongoing bombardment. In addition to strikes on Rafah, Israel targeted northern and central areas of the Gaza Strip.
The latest Israeli bombardment targeted a residential complex in the central Nuseirat refugee camp, resulting in 31 fatalities and 20 injuries, as reported by Gaza’s civil defense agency. Witnesses described scenes of devastation, with entire buildings destroyed and bodies trapped under rubble.
Witness Yasser Abu Oula told AFP an entire residential complex “was destroyed” and “there are still bodies under the rubble”.
Sullivan arrived in Israel for talks with Israeli officials, including his counterpart Tzachi Hanegbi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to address the dire situation in Gaza and explore potential post-war scenarios. The United States has been advocating for a comprehensive plan for Gaza involving Palestinians and supported by regional powers, alongside broader diplomatic efforts.
US President Joe Biden reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and emphasized the importance of pursuing a regional peace deal to achieve a two-state as the only solution.
Since October 7 last year, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza that has killed at least 35,456 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza, according to data provided by the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
The ongoing siege imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, depriving its 2.4 million residents of essential resources, including clean water, food, medicines, and fuel. Rafah resident Rinad Joudeh described the situation as a “humanitarian catastrophe,” highlighting the widespread destruction and fear gripping the city.
“We are living through a humanitarian catastrophe in every sense of the word,” said Rafah resident Rinad Joudeh, 41, decrying “destruction, fear and terror” nearly two weeks into the Israeli incursion into the city.
UN officials expressed alarm over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, with UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini noting that nearly half of the territory’s population has been displaced by the recent offensive. Despite efforts to provide aid, obstacles including the closure of border crossings have hindered humanitarian access, raising concerns of a looming famine.
