Israel Airstrikes Rafah, Last Refuge for Gaza Strip Residents

On the 2nd of last month (local time), a refugee staying at the zoo in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, is eating a sandwich. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Israeli military conducted airstrikes on Rafah, a southern border city that serves as the last refuge for residents of the Gaza Strip in Palestine.

On the 8th (local time), U.S. daily newspapers such as The New York Times (NYT) and AP reported this, citing Palestinian media, local hospital sources, and residents respectively. Palestinian media reported that two houses in Rafah were hit by airstrikes, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. Local hospitals stated that "at least 13 people have died."

The airstrike took place the night after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a ceasefire proposal countered by the armed group Hamas and ordered an advance into Rafah. However, the NYT assessed that the Israeli military does not appear to have launched a new large-scale ground operation in Rafah.

Meanwhile, the Gaza Strip Ministry of Health, governed by Hamas, explained that over 100 people have died in Gaza in the past 24 hours. Since the war began following Hamas's surprise attack on Israel on October 7 last year, more than 27,000 people have died in the Gaza Strip.

Rafah, bordering Egypt, is a major gateway through which the international community delivers humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Palestinian civilians who fled south to escape the war are staying there. It is estimated that about 1.4 million people, roughly half of the Gaza Strip's population, are taking refuge in Rafah.

Earlier that day, John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the U.S. National Security Council (NSC), stated in a briefing that over one million refugees are in Rafah. He added, "If a military operation is conducted right now, it would be a catastrophe for civilians," and said, "We will not support such actions."

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