Israeli forces struck a tent in Rafah housing displaced Palestinians, killing at least 11 people, according to local authorities, hours after 17 people were killed in attacks elsewhere in the Gaza Strip.
At least 50 people were injured in Saturday’s drone attack, which took place near the entrance to the Al-Helal Al-Emirati maternity hospital in Tal as-Sultan, Rafah city, the ministry said. Gaza Ministry of Health in a statement.
The ministry said Abdel Fattah Abu Marhi, head of the hospital’s paramedical unit, was killed and children were among the injured.
“A tent full of displaced people evacuated to the area, including an entire family, was directly hit by a drone strike,” Tel Aviv Tribune’s Hani Mahmoud said from Rafah.
He said eight of the bodies were taken to Kuwait Hospital “where the scene is very chaotic” because the small facility is not prepared for the large number of injured arriving there.
“The strike hit a tent, where people were sheltering, directly, shrapnel entered the hospital where me and my friends were sitting, we survived by a miracle,” a witness told the Reuters news agency, on condition of anonymity.
In December, the Israelis ordered displaced people to move to the Tal as-Sultan area to avoid being bombed, our correspondent said, adding that “the narrative that Rafah is a safe area was once further revealed to be false.”
“Although this is not the first time that the Tal as-Sultan region has been targeted, it is probably the worst,” Mahmoud said. “The sense of security of the residents of Rafah has been completely destroyed. »
Responding to news of the attack, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization, called it “scandalous and indescribable.”
“Among those killed were two health workers. Health workers and civilians are not a target and must be protected at all times,” he said in a message on X. “We urge Israel to cease fire.”
Reports that tents housing displaced people in Rafah were bombed – killing 11 people and injuring 50 others, including children – are outrageous and indescribable.
Among those killed were two health workers.
Health workers and civilians are #NotATargetand must be…
– Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 2, 2024
At least 30,320 Palestinians have been killed and 71,533 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7, the Gaza Health Ministry announced on Saturday. He adds that at least 92 of them were killed in the last 24 hours.
Earlier, at least 17 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in Israeli air raids targeting three homes elsewhere in the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Wafa news agency, citing medical sources, reported that Israeli planes targeted two houses east of Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, killing 15 people.
“Last night was extremely hard for the residents of Deir el-Balah, with incessant attacks by tanks and planes throughout the night,” said journalist Abubaker Abed, reporting from the city center.
“There were at least ten explosions, mainly in the western and eastern districts of the city,” Abed said earlier.
Meanwhile, in the Jabalia camp in northern Gaza, Israeli planes hit a house in an attack that killed two people. The house is said to have housed 70 displaced people.
This strike caused at least two victims, according to initial reports, the Anadolu agency reported.
