The Palestine Red Crescent Society said on Monday (February 12) that Israeli forces carried out military strikes on the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah and surrounding areas in the early hours of the same day.
Qatar's Al Jazeera reported that at least 52 people have been killed and dozens injured in the Israeli airstrike. The Israeli attack in the early hours of Monday left 37 people dead and many injured, local health ** told Reuters.
Residents contacted through a chat app who said the heavy bombardment had caused widespread panic because many were still asleep when the attack took place. Some fear that Israel has begun a ground offensive against Rafah.
Residents allege that Israeli military aircraft, tanks and ** were involved in Monday's air strikes, and that two mosques and several houses were hit by shells.
According to a statement issued by the Israeli military, Israeli forces carried out a "series of attacks" on southern Gaza, which has "ended", but did not specify details.
The day before the Israeli attack on Rafah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the United States **Biden passed**. Biden urged Netanyahu that "Israel should not conduct military operations in Rafah" without a "credible and workable plan" to ensure the safety of the roughly 1 million civilians who have taken refuge in Rafah.
The Israeli military had ordered civilians to leave Rafah, but had not made a specific plan for their evacuation.
Hamas warned Israel on Sunday (11th) that if Israeli forces launch a ground offensive against Rafah, "any negotiations on an agreement to exchange detainees will break down." A Hamas leader, who asked not to be named, was quoted as saying: "Any attack by the occupying forces on the city of Rafah will be buried in the exchange of detainees." ”