GAZA CITY – At least 16 Palestinian civilians were brutally murdered and several others were injured in the early hours of Sunday as Israeli airstrikes targeted residential squares in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, and in the Al-Bureij refugee camp, in the centre of the territory, WAFA news agency reported.
The first attack occurred in Al-Bureij refugee camp, located in the central Gaza Strip, where an Israeli airstrike targeted a residential building. Seven civilians were confirmed murdered, with additional injuries reported. Among the victims were innocent children and women.
The strike left the targeted house in ruins, and rescue teams are working tirelessly to recover any survivors trapped under the debris.
Shortly thereafter, another Israeli airstrike hit a house in the Al-Jenena neighborhood, east of Rafah in southern Gaza.
The strike resulted in the murder of at least nine Palestinians, with more casualties expected as rescue efforts are ongoing. Reports indicate that the nine victims were from a neighboring house that also suffered severe damage.
Meanwhile, in eastern Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza, Israeli artillery shelling bombed several homes, claiming the lives of many civilians and injuring others.
In yet another attack, Israeli warplanes targeted a house in the Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City, resulting in additional casualties and injuries among Palestinian civilians.
The persisting Israeli airstrikes have plunged Gaza into a humanitarian crisis, with rescue teams facing challenges in accessing affected areas due to the intensity of the attacks.