Israeli massacre in Rafah kills at least 100 Palestinians
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Israeli occupation airstrikes on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza kill and injure hundreds of Gazans in a new massacre.
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Smoke plumes billow during Israeli bombardment over Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on February 11, 2024. (Photo by SAID KHATIB / AFP)
Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported Monday that Israeli occupation forces committed a major massacre in Rafah early this morning, with most of the victims being children and women.
Our correspondent said that Israeli occupation warplanes launched more than 50 airstrikes on Rafah, noting that the occupation forces used internationally prohibited incendiary missiles in its airstrikes.
Palestinian medical sources said that at least 100 people were martyred and more than 230 were wounded in heavy Israeli strikes on the city of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip.
According to the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Israeli warplanes carried out a series of heavy airstrikes on various parts of southern Gaza, focusing on the center of Rafah.
The PRCS emphasized that the Israeli airstrikes targeted populated homes, warning that what happened signals a major catastrophe.
مشاهد متداولة للقصف الإسرائيلي العنيف على مدينة رفح #فلسطين #غزة #الميادين
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 12, 2024
#رفح_تحت_القصف pic.twitter.com/OACbZDMlu7
Palestinian media reported that Israeli occupation forces targeted the al-Houda Mosque in the Yibna camp in Rafah, as well as the al-Rahma Mosque, where a large number of displaced Gazans were taking shelter.
Our correspondent mentioned that within one hour, Rafah turned into a war zone as it was subjected to dozens of Israeli airstrikes, adding that several martyrs and injuries have been transported to the Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital in the city, which has only about 30 beds and is unable to provide care for all the wounded.
The ongoing Israeli airstrikes coincide with fierce confrontations between Palestinian Resistance fighters and Israeli occupation forces northwest of Rafah.
This comes at a time when a ground invasion of the city of Rafah looms, as Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told troops to prepare for an offensive in the southern city, which now hosts more than half of Gaza's total population.
Foreign governments, including "Israel's" key ally the United States, and aid groups have voiced deep concern over Netanyahu's plan.
US President Joe Biden spoke to Netanyahu on the phone Sunday and told him the Rafah offensive should not go ahead in the absence of a "credible" plan to ensure "the safety" of people sheltering there, the White House said.
About 1.4 million Palestinians have crowded into Rafah, with many living in tents while food, water and medicine are becoming increasingly scarce.
In a related context, Hamas representative in Lebanon Ahmad Abdul Hadi told Al Mayadeen that the invasion of Rafah would prompt major reactions in the region and would escalate the war beyond what the United States desires.
He indicated that Netanyahu's threats regarding Rafah are, in part, aimed at "forcing the resistance compromise on its conditions."
Egypt threatens to suspend 'peace accords' if 'Israel' invades Rafah
In addition, Egypt has threatened to dissolve its normalization agreement with "Israel" if the occupation deploys condensed forces along its border with the Gazan city of Rafah.
Two Egyptian officials and a Western diplomat stated on Sunday that in case "Israel" makes the move, Egypt would be forced to block the Rafah crossing, currently the only humanitarian corridor that is supplying Gaza with relief aid.
This comes a day after Cairo sent warnings to "Israel" regarding their diplomatic relations - that may cease in case the Israeli forces launch a full-scale invasion of the city of Rafah, according to The Wall Street Journal.
"Any ground operation in Rafah would lead to an immediate suspension of the peace treaty between the two countries," the report indicated, citing sources.
The officials told the WSJ that a delegation from Cairo recently paid a visit to Israeli counterparts in "Tel Aviv" to specifically discuss the situation in Rafah.
"Israeli officials are trying to get Egypt to agree on some cooperation regarding the ground invasion, which Egyptian officials are resisting," the officials mentioned.
Earlier, the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that Israeli occupation forces committed 14 massacres in 24 hours only, killing 112 Palestinians and injuring 173, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed in the Israeli aggression on Gaza to 28,176, in addition to 67,784 injuries.
Read more: Cairo's role is the most important against Rafah invasion: Official
