21 people killed in new Rafah strike, say Gaza officials
The strikes appeared to have occurred far outside “evacuation zones” designated by Israel during its military offensive in Rafah.
The Israel Defense Forces, in a statement Tuesday, said it “did not strike in the humanitarian area in al-Mawasi,” referring to a zone along Gaza’s coast. Witnesses said the strikes occurred just south of the humanitarian zone.
The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment but said in a statement Tuesday that it was continuing operations in Rafah, including in the Philadelphi Corridor area, as well as in Jabalya, northern Gaza and central Gaza.
The strikes came as the Israeli military announced the preliminary results of an investigation into another deadly strike at a tent camp in Rafah that killed 45 and drew worldwide condemnation. The attack, which took place Sunday, targeted two senior Hamas militants and used “the smallest munition that our jets can use,” described as 37 pounds in weight, Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters. He said the ongoing investigation is looking into the possibility that “secondary explosions” linked to “weapons stored in a compound next to our target” ignited a deadly blaze. “Our war is against Hamas, not against the people of Gaza,” Hagari said.
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