Israel kills dozens in Rafah strikes, frees two captives

Bombing attacks are expected to happen in Rafah and the people living there are preparing for it. However, humanitarian organizations are concerned that the assault would lead to a significant number of deaths and injuries.

As per health authorities' statements, Israel has conducted aerial attacks in Rafah, located in the south of Gaza, resulting in the deaths of many people. Palestinians are awaiting a significant operation in the densely populated city.

Different sources gave conflicting information on how many people had died in the early morning attacks on Monday.

According to the AFP news agency, 52 individuals lost their lives due to the strikes. However, Reuters gave a higher death toll, with at least 67 people reported to have been killed. Both news outlets relied on statements from health officials in Gaza to report these numbers.

According to representatives of the Palestinian community, the Israeli attacks targeted a total of 14 residential properties and three religious centers in Rafah.

However, according to Al Jazeera Arabic associates, the bombing of the mosques resulted in the demise of at least 63 individuals. As per a statement released by Hamas, over 100 people lost their lives in the city.

According to a statement by the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on a particular date, Israel is still aiming at innocent people and moving the conflict towards Rafah with the intention of forcing locals to flee due to the ongoing bombing attacks.

The ministry stated that the latest killings by the occupiers are proof that the international alerts and concerns about the dreadful consequences of extending the war to Rafah are true.

The ministry that deals with foreign affairs and citizens living abroad has stated that the recent deadly event in Rafah is proof that the warnings about the disastrous risks of the occupation's attack hold true.

The tweet accuses Netanyahu of committing brutal killings on a large scale, driven by a desire for retaliation rather than achieving success. This kind of behavior does not align with any moral or ethical standards.

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The military of Israel reported that it had targeted some locations identified as "terror targets" in Rafah's Shaboura region. The military airstrikes were successfully completed.

The entity also declared that it successfully saved two individuals who were held captive by Hamas on the 7th of October in Rafah during an operation that took place overnight.

The military authorities mentioned that the hostages, identified as Fernando Simon Marman and Louis Har, were in a healthy state.

Hamas cautioned that if Israel proceeds with a land attack on Rafah, it could jeopardize the ongoing discussions regarding the release of their prisoners who are still being detained in Gaza.

Nevertheless, the Israeli leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, made a promise on Monday to continue with the military action.

He declared in a statement that only by persistently applying military force until triumph is achieved, can we secure the liberation of all our abductees.

The attacks on Rafah happened while Israel is getting ready to initiate a big attack that could cause a lot of harm to the innocent people in the only remaining secure part of Gaza, according to organizations providing assistance.

Around 1.4 million individuals belonging to the Palestinian community, which covers more than 50% of the whole Gaza population, have shifted to Rafah due to the Israeli aerial attack that has turned most parts of the region into debris.

Hamas criticized Israel for the assaults, stating that these actions indicate a "broadening of the scale of the killings it is perpetrating against our populace".

According to a press release from the group, the assault by the Nazi occupation army on Rafah city has resulted in over one hundred deaths. The group believes that this attack is part of a larger effort to commit genocide and forcibly displace the Palestinian people.

On Sunday, President Joe Biden of the United States cautioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel against starting an attack on Rafah unless he has a feasible and practical strategy in place to safeguard the individuals taking refuge there.

Netanyahu has made a commitment to assure the safety of Palestinians in Rafah, but the vague details about how the evacuation will occur has caused concerns that they may be forced into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, which could lead to increased tensions with Cairo.

On Sunday, Netanyahu spoke with Fox News and stated that there is sufficient space to relocate people north of Rafah. However, he did not indicate which specific area in Gaza would be considered safe for evacuation.

Al Jazeera and news organizations