Gaza health officials say Israeli airstrikes on Rafah cause multiple casualties

Health officials in the Gaza Strip said that early on February 12, the Israeli army carried out a fierce airstrike on the southern city of Rafah and surrounding areas, killing at least 52 people and injuring dozens.

Earlier, the Israeli army announced that it had carried out a series of airstrikes in Gaza, but did not announce the specific locations.

Since the conflict broke out between Israel and the Hamas Islamist movement in the Gaza Strip, Palestinians from many parts of the territory have moved to the city of Rafah to seek refuge. Currently, there are about 1.5 million Palestinians residing in this city.

On February 9, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israeli military to prepare to evacuate civilians from Rafah before launching a ground operation against Hamas in the city. Mr. Netanyahu pledged that the Israeli military would provide a safe corridor for civilians in Rafah before launching a ground military operation there.

Many Western countries as well as countries in the region have spoken out against Israel's attack plan in Rafah, fearing that this attack campaign will cause a humanitarian disaster in the city considered the last refuge for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Gaza's health authority released its latest report on February 11, saying the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 28,176 since October 7, 2023, with 67,784 others injured.

VNA

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