Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah have killed at least five people, including two children aged six and eight. The strikes also injured several others and caused widespread damage to infrastructure in the densely populated area. Palestinian officials have condemned the attacks as a violation of international law, while Israel claims they were necessary to target Hamas militants.
Israeli warplanes have launched a fierce assault on the northern Gaza Strip for a second day, shattering weeks of relative calm. Israel has announced plans for an all-out assault on Rafah in the south, prompting warnings from Western countries. The offensive has killed at least 79 Palestinians in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza health authorities, and displaced thousands more. Residents are fleeing for their lives as Israeli forces target areas from where Hamas-aligned militants have fired rockets into Israel.
