Gaza medics report 12 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrike on Rafah

Israeli forces launched a deadly airstrike on Rafah in southern Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 12 Palestinians, according to Gaza medics. The attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday, escalating the ongoing conflict in the region.

The Israeli offensive in Rafah continued despite international calls to halt the attacks. The buffer zone captured by Israeli forces along the Gaza-Egypt border has given them control over the entire land frontier of Gaza, disrupting Hamas’ arms smuggling routes.

Medical sources in Gaza reported that the Palestinians killed in the airstrike were civilians, including those who were trying to retrieve the body of a civilian in the center of Rafah. Additionally, another civilian was killed in an airstrike on Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City.

The conflict has resulted in over 36,000 Palestinian casualties, with 53 deaths reported in the past 24 hours alone. Israel has been targeting Hamas fighters in an effort to rescue hostages held in Gaza, leading to a high number of civilian casualties.

As the violence continues, concerns about malnutrition and famine in Gaza have been raised. The United Nations has called for an end to attacks on UNRWA staff and buildings in Gaza, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation in the region.

Efforts to mediate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have stalled, with both sides blaming each other for the lack of progress. The conflict has also spilled over into the West Bank, where two Israeli soldiers were killed in a hit-and-run incident by a Palestinian motorist in Nablus.

The situation remains tense as the conflict shows no signs of abating, with both sides entrenched in a cycle of violence and retaliation.