Israeli airstrikes killed at least 18 Palestinians in Rafah and Deir Al-Balah, Gaza health officials claimed Saturday.
Israel’s aerial bombardment of southern Gaza continued into the weekend, stoking fears that the ground offensive could extend to the last few areas where evacuees have found shelter.
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 18 Palestinians in Rafah and Deir Al-Balah, Gaza health officials claimed Saturday.
Fourteen of the victims– including four women and three children – were members of the Hijazi family whose house was struck in Rafah, hospital workers said.
“Two children are still under the rubble, and we don’t, still we don’t know anything about them,” relative Ahmad Hijazi said of the scene.
An additional four people were killed in a separate strike in a house in Al-Balah, officials added.
Israel did not confirm recent airstrikes in either city.
“In stark contrast to Hamas’ intentional attacks on Israeli men, women and children, the IDF follows international law and takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm,” a military spokesperson insisted.
Rafah is the Gaza Strip’s southern border with Egypt. More than half of the region’s 2.
