35 Palestinians Killed In Israeli Raids On Rafah In Past 24 Hours

At least 35 Palestinians were killed and 129 others injured as a result of the Israeli intense airstrikes on Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip, in the past 24 hours, a medical source told Anadolu on Wednesday.

The medical source also said the Palestinian victims are those who arrived at the Kuwait Hospital in Rafah city, adding that children and women are among them.

Since Monday, Rafah has been experiencing intensified Israeli airstrikes and shelling in all its areas, including residential areas.

The Israeli army on Tuesday started its invasion into the eastern area of Rafah under which the Israeli army stormed and occupied the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, closing Gazan Palestinians' only gateway with the world.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip in retaliation for an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas which killed about 1,200 people. Nearly 34,800 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, the vast majority of whom have been women and children, and 78,100 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Over seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave's population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and ordered Tel Aviv to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar -