RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah in a single day killed 22 folks, together with 18 youngsters, well being officers mentioned Sunday, as america was on observe to approve billions of {dollars} of further navy assist to Israel, its shut ally.
Israel has carried out near-daily air raids on Rafah, the place greater than half of Gaza’s inhabitants of two.3 million has sought refuge from preventing elsewhere. It has additionally vowed to broaden its floor offensive towards the Hamas militant group to the town on the border with Egypt regardless of requires restraint, together with from the U.S.
“Within the coming days, we are going to enhance the political and navy stress on Hamas as a result of that is the one technique to deliver again our hostages and obtain victory. We are going to land extra and painful blows on Hamas — quickly,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned in a press release. He did not give particulars.
The primary Israeli strike in Rafah killed a person, his spouse and their 3-year-old baby, based on the close by Kuwaiti Hospital, which acquired the our bodies. The lady was pregnant and the docs saved the child, the hospital mentioned. The second strike killed 17 youngsters and two ladies from an prolonged household.
“These youngsters had been sleeping. What did they do? What was their fault?” requested one relative, Umm Kareem. Mohammed al-Beheiri mentioned that his daughter, Rasha, and her six youngsters, the youngest 18 months outdated, had been amongst these killed. A lady and three youngsters had been nonetheless below the rubble.
The Israel-Hamas conflict has killed greater than 34,000 Palestinians, based on native well being officers, a minimum of two-thirds of them youngsters and ladies. It has devastated Gaza’s two largest cities and left a swath of destruction. Round 80% of the territory’s inhabitants have fled to different components of the besieged coastal enclave.
The $26 billion assist bundle permitted by the U.S. Home of Representatives on Saturday consists of round $9 billion in humanitarian help for Gaza, which consultants say is on the point of famine. The U.S. Senate may move the bundle as quickly as Tuesday, and President Joe Biden has promised to signal it instantly.
The battle, now in its seventh month, has sparked regional unrest pitting Israel and the U.S. towards Iran and allied militant teams throughout the Center East. Israel and Iran traded fireplace instantly this month, elevating fears of all-out conflict.
Tensions have additionally spiked within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution. Israeli troops killed two Palestinians who the navy says attacked a checkpoint with a knife and a gun close to the southern West Financial institution city of Hebron early Sunday. The Palestinian Well being Ministry mentioned that the 2 killed had been 18 and 19, from the identical household. No Israeli forces had been wounded, the military mentioned.
Later, the navy mentioned its forces shot useless a 43-year-old Palestinian girl after she tried to stab a soldier within the northern West Financial institution close to Beka’ot settlement.
The Palestinian Pink Crescent rescue service mentioned that it had recovered 14 our bodies from an Israeli raid within the Nur Shams city refugee camp within the West Financial institution that started late Thursday. These killed embody three militants from the Islamic Jihad group and a 15-year-old boy. The navy mentioned it killed 14 militants and arrested eight suspects. Ten Israeli troopers and one border police officer had been wounded.
In a separate incident within the West Financial institution, an Israeli man was wounded in an explosion on Sunday, the Magen David Adom rescue service mentioned. A video circulating on-line exhibits a person approaching a Palestinian flag planted in a area. When he kicks it, it seems to set off an explosive gadget.
A minimum of 469 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troopers and settlers within the West Financial institution because the begin of the Israel-Hamas conflict, based on the Palestinian Well being Ministry. Most have been killed throughout Israeli navy raids or in violent protests.
The conflict was sparked by an unprecedented Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel during which Hamas and different militants killed round 1,200 folks, principally civilians, and kidnapped round 250 hostages. Israel says militants are nonetheless holding round 100 hostages and the stays of greater than 30 others.
1000’s of Israelis have taken to the streets to name for a brand new election to exchange Netanyahu and a cope with Hamas to launch the hostages. Netanyahu has vowed to proceed the conflict till Hamas is destroyed and all hostages are returned.
The conflict has killed a minimum of 34,097 Palestinians and wounded one other 76,980, based on the Gaza Well being Ministry. The ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its rely. It says the true toll is probably going greater as many our bodies are caught beneath the rubble or in areas that medics cannot attain.
Israel blames Hamas for civilian casualties as a result of the militants battle in dense, residential neighborhoods. The navy not often feedback on particular person strikes, which regularly kill ladies and kids. The navy says it has killed greater than 13,000 Hamas fighters, with out offering proof.
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Samy Magdy reported from Cairo. Jack Jeffery contributed to this report from Jerusalem.
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Discover extra of AP’s protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war