Scores Killed in Rafah and Khan Yunis as Israeli Forces Advance in Gaza

By Palestine Cornicle

On Sunday, the Israeli occupation army carried out deadly airstrikes on Khan Yunis and Rafah, resulting in the deaths and injuries of dozens, while also beginning to advance on two fronts in southern and northern Gaza.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 41 people had been killed and 61 injured since dawn, with many victims still trapped under the rubble. Rescue teams are unable to access these areas.

 

In Rafah, several neighborhoods were heavily bombed, including Tal al-Sultan, Al-Nasr, Al-Jineina, and Al-Zuhur. Eight people, including women and children, were killed in an airstrike on Al-Nasr. Two others died in the Al-Hashashin area.

Following an Israeli evacuation warning, residents began fleeing Tal al-Sultan, and reports indicated that hundreds of families were surrounded by heavy artillery fire. Three individuals were killed while attempting to escape.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that Israeli forces surrounded multiple ambulances in Rafah, injuring paramedics and cutting communication with a team that has been trapped for hours.

In Khan Yunis, airstrikes also targeted areas such as the Japanese neighborhood, Mawasi, Satr, and Abasan. Among the dead in Mawasi were Hamas leader Salah al-Bardawil and his wife. Three others were killed when Israeli aircraft struck a vehicle belonging to the Abasan municipality.

At least 673 Palestinians have been killed since Israel resumed its offensive, bringing the total death toll since October 7, 2023, to 50,021, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Reports also indicated that Israeli artillery continued to bombard northern Gaza, with airstrikes on Gaza City and the Al-Zeitoun neighborhood. Thousands of Palestinians have been forced to flee Beit Lahiya due to the ongoing bombardment.

Meanwhile, the Israeli cabinet approved the continuation of military pressure on Gaza, and Israeli occupation forces expanded their ground operations, particularly in Rafah and Beit Hanoun.