Israel Strikes Back, Over 30 Killed in Rafah After Hamas' 'Big Missile' Attack in Tel Aviv

Deir Al-Balah: Palestinian health workers said Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 35 people and hit tents for displaced people in sourn Gaza city of Rafah, and “numerous” ors were trapped in flaming debris. Gaza's Health Ministry said women and children me up most of de and dozens of wounded.

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

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

A spokesperson with Palestinian Red Crescent Society said death toll was likely to rise as search and rescue efforts continued in Rafah's Tal al-Sultan neighbourhood about two kilometres northwest of city centre.

society asserted that location h been designated by Israel as a “humanitarian area”. neighbourhood is not included in areas that Israel's military ordered evacuated earlier this month.

airstrike was reported hours after Hamas fired a barrage of rockets from Gaza that set off air raid sirens as far away as Tel Aviv for first time in months in a show of resilience more than seven months into Israel's massive air, sea and ground offensive.

re were no reports of casualties in what appeared to be first long-range rocket attack from Gaza since January. Hamas' military wing claimed responsibility. Israel's military said eight projectiles crossed into Israel after being launched from Rafah and “a number” were intercepted, and launcher was destroyed.

Earlier Sunday, dozens of aid trucks entered Gaza from sourn Israel under a new agreement to bypass Rafah crossing with Egypt after Israeli forces seized Palestinian side of it earlier this month. Israel's military said 126 aid trucks entered via nearby Kerem Shalom crossing.

But it was not immediately clear if humanitarian groups could access aid — including medical supplies — because of fighting. crossing has been largely inaccessible because of Israel's offensive in Rafah. United Nations agencies say it is usually too dangerous to retrieve aid. World Health Organization last week said an expanded Israeli incursion in Rafah would have “disastrous” impact.

“With humanitarian operation near collapse, secretary-general emphasizes that Israeli authorities must facilitate safe pickup and delivery of humanitarian supplies from Egypt entering Kerem Shalom,” spokesperson for UN chief Antonio Guterres said in a statement.

Egypt refuses to reopen its side of Rafah crossing until control of Gaza side is handed back to Palestinians. It agreed to temporarily divert traffic through Kerem Shalom, Gaza's main cargo terminal, after a call between US President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.

war between Israel and Hamas has killed nearly 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters in its count. Israel blames civilian deaths on Hamas because militants operate in dense, residential areas.

Around 80% of Gaza's 2.3 million people have fled ir homes, severe hunger is widespre and U.N. officials say parts of territory are experiencing famine.

Hamas triggered war with its October 7 attack into Israel, in which Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seized some 250 hostages. Hamas still holds some 100 hostages and remains of around 30 ors after most of rest were released during a cease-fire last year.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel must take over Rafah to eliminate Hamas' remaining battalions and achieve “total victory” over militants, who recently regrouped in or parts of Gaza.

war has also heightened tensions in Israeli-occupied West Bank. Palestinian authorities on Sunday said Israeli forces shot de a 14-year-old boy near sourn West Bank town of Saeer. Israeli army said Palestinian male was shot de after trying to stab Israeli forces at Beit Einun Junction.

Sourn Gaza has been largely cut off from aid since Israel launched what it called a limited incursion into Rafah on May 6. Since n over 1 million Palestinians, many alrey displaced, have fled city.

Norrn Gaza receives aid through two land routes that Israel opened during global outrage after Israeli strikes killed seven aid workers in April.

A few dozen trucks enter Gaza daily through a US-built floating pier, far below 150 trucks a day that officials hoped for. Aid groups say 600 trucks a day are needed.

Israel's military said it h detained a suspect over a widely circulated video in which a man dressed as a soldier threatens mutiny.

Israeli military spokesman Rear m. Daniel Hagari said man has been removed from reserve duty. prime minister's office released a brief statement condemning all forms of military insubordination. 

(Except for heline, this story has not been edited by Republic and is published from a syndicated feed.)