Palestinian presidency says Israel committed ‘heinous massacre’ at Rafah camp

The Palestinian presidency on Monday accused Israel of deliberately targeting a centre for displaced people in Gaza's far-southern city of Rafah, which officials in the territory said had killed at least 35 people.

"The perpetration of this heinous massacre by the Israeli occupation forces is a challenge to all international legitimacy resolutions," the presidency said in a statement, accusing Israeli forces of "deliberately targeting" the tents of displaced people.

Palestinian health workers said Israeli airstrikes killed at least 35 people Sunday and hit tents for displaced people in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, and "numerous” others were trapped in flaming debris. Gaza's Health Ministry said women and children made up most of the dead and dozens of wounded.

The attacks came two days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to end its military offensive in Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million population had sought shelter before Israel's incursion earlier this month. Tens of thousands of people remain in the area while many others have fled.

Footage from the scene of the largest airstrike showed heavy destruction. Israel’s army confirmed the strike and said it hit a Hamas installation and killed two senior Hamas fighters. It said it was investigating reports that civilians were harmed. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was in Rafah on Sunday and was briefed on the "deepening of operations” there, his office said.

Agencies