RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The southern Gaza city of Rafah suffered heavy casualties as a result of Israeli airstrikes, with at least 44 Palestinians, including over a dozen children, killed on Saturday. This came hours after Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, revealed that he had instructed the military to prepare for the potential evacuation of hundreds of thousands ahead of a ground invasion. The announcement sparked panic and concerns from diplomats, as more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are concentrated in Rafah, without clear options for relocation.Israel claims that Rafah, bordering Egypt, is the last stronghold for the Hamas militant group in Gaza following months of conflict initiated by a Hamas attack on October 7th.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry cautioned against the consequences of an Israeli ground offensive on Rafah, emphasizing Israel’s alleged goal of displacing Palestinians from their land. He also mentioned Egypt’s efforts to facilitate a permanent cease-fire and the release of remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
Tensions between Netanyahu and the United States have escalated, with U.S. officials warning of disastrous outcomes if an invasion of Rafah proceeds without a proper plan for the civilian population. Despite previous Israeli instructions for civilians to seek shelter in Rafah from ongoing ground combat in Khan Younis, airstrikes have continued to target the area. Overnight airstrikes on homes in Rafah resulted in 28 deaths, including 10 children from three families.
Fadel al-Ghannam, who lost multiple family members in one of the strikes, expressed fear of further devastation in the event of a ground invasion. He criticized the global silence on the matter, stating that the world has been unjust to them. Subsequent Israeli airstrikes in Rafah saw the death of at least 11 people, including three children. In Khan Younis, Israeli forces fired at Nasser Hospital, resulting in casualties and impeding the movement of hospital staff due to intense fire.
Since the start of the offensive, Gaza’s population has faced mass displacement and a humanitarian crisis marked by shortages of food and medical services. The Gaza Health Ministry reported 117 deaths from Israeli airstrikes in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 28,064, primarily comprising women and children. Israel attributes the civilian deaths to Hamas operating within civilian areas, though U.S. officials have urged more targeted strikes. President Joe Biden remarked that Israel’s response is excessive.
The war began after several thousand Hamas militants crossed into southern Israel on October 7, leading to casualties and hostages. Netanyahu’s office insists on the impossibility of eliminating Hamas while leaving its battalions in Rafah. Egypt has warned that Palestinian movement into its territory could jeopardize its longstanding peace treaty with Israel. The Rafah border crossing, a primary entry point for humanitarian aid, serves an additional 1.4 million people who sought refuge from elsewhere in Gaza.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned of a potential “humanitarian catastrophe” should Israel launch an offensive on Rafah, emphasizing that the people in Gaza cannot simply vanish. The ongoing Israeli offensive has resulted in widespread destruction, particularly in northern Gaza, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.
Additionally, in Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, two medics from the Palestinian Red Crescent were found dead in a destroyed ambulance after being reported missing 12 days ago. Their mission was to rescue a 6-year-old girl following evacuation orders, as confirmed by the PRC. The operation had been coordinated with Israel’s military, which offered no comment on the matter.___Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed.___Find more of AP’s coverage at
