Gaza, Palestine: At least 45 people, including women and children, have been killed in an Israeli air strike on a camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah, southern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The strike occurred in the Tal al-Sultan area on Sunday night, with the damage becoming apparent the following morning. Videos from the scene show a large explosion and intense fires.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the strike targeted two senior Hamas officials and that they are reviewing reports of civilian casualties. Earlier on Sunday, Hamas fired eight rockets from Rafah towards Tel Aviv, marking the first long-range attacks on the central Israeli city since January.
The incidents occurred two days after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to halt its military offensive in Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of people are believed to be sheltering.
Civilian Casualties and Destruction
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that the air strike targeted tents for displaced people near a UN facility in Tal al-Sultan, about 2km northwest of Rafah’s center. Graphic footage showed several structures ablaze and first responders carrying bodies. Witness Fadi Dukhan described hearing a missile and finding the street covered in smoke, with a girl and a young man among the dead.
The IDF confirmed it had eliminated Yassin Rabia, chief of staff of Hamas fighters in the West Bank, and Khaled Nagar, another senior official. The IDF acknowledged reports of civilian harm and is reviewing the incident. Their initial statement claimed the strike was against legitimate targets under international law, using precise munitions and intelligence.
Reactions and International Response
Médecins Sans Frontières reported 15 dead and dozens wounded brought to a trauma stabilization point. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, described the reports as “horrifying” and noted difficulties in communication with their Rafah team. Ismail al-Thawabta of the Hamas-run government media office claimed the camp was in a designated “safe zone”.
Qatar warned that the strike could complicate mediation efforts for a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Ongoing Conflict and Displacement
Earlier on Sunday, air raid sirens sounded around Tel Aviv due to Hamas rockets, mostly intercepted or falling in fields, causing damage to a house but no injuries. This rocket fire underscores the ongoing threat Hamas poses to Israel and the challenges the IDF faces in southern Gaza.
About 1.5 million people were taking refuge in Rafah before 6 May, when Israel began targeted ground operations in eastern Rafah to destroy Hamas battalions and rescue hostages. The UN estimates that over 800,000 people have fled to an “expanded humanitarian area” in response to IDF orders.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza aims to destroy Hamas following a cross-border attack on October 7 that killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 252 hostages. The Hamas-run health ministry reports over 36,050 deaths in Gaza since the conflict began.
