Rafah, Gaza Strip – An Israeli airstrike on a residential house in the southern Gaza city of Rafah has killed at least three Palestinians, according to initial reports from local health officials. In a desperate scene unfolding this morning, rescue operations are underway as emergency crews dig through rubble searching for survivors.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Airstrike Shatters Morning Quiet in Rafah
The strike occurred in the early hours, shattering the fragile quiet in a city now overwhelmed with over 1.4 million displaced Palestinians. Eyewitnesses described a massive explosion that shook the neighbourhood, reducing the targeted home to a crater of concrete and twisted metal.
“The world was sleeping, and then it was on fire,” one neighbour told a local journalist, his voice trembling. “We rushed out to see what happened, and the house was just… gone. We don’t know who is still under there.”
Rafah: A Designated ‘Safe Zone’ Under Fire
This latest attack comes amidst heightened tension and intense international scrutiny of Israel’s military operations. Rafah, located on Gaza’s border with Egypt, has become the last refuge for a vast majority of the enclave’s population, many of whom were repeatedly directed to flee south for safety.
However, recent weeks have seen an escalation of Israeli military activity in and around the area. This has effectively turned the designated safe zone into a new frontline, leaving civilians with nowhere left to turn.
Official Response and Rising Death Toll
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have not yet released an official statement regarding this specific strike. In the past, the Israeli military has maintained that its operations are aimed at dismantling Hamas infrastructure and targeting militants who they claim often operate from within civilian areas. The IDF asserts it takes steps to minimise civilian harm, a claim increasingly challenged by the staggering death toll.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that the total number of Palestinians killed in the enclave since the conflict began on October 7 has now surpassed 35,000, the majority of whom are women and children. These figures are widely cited by international organisations, including the United Nations.
Diplomatic Efforts Stall Amid Humanitarian Crisis
The international community continues to voice grave concern over the conflict. Ceasefire negotiations, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, have repeatedly stalled. The diplomatic impasse has left the population of Gaza facing daily bombardment, a deepening famine, and the collapse of its healthcare system. Many world leaders continue to call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue, advocating for a two-state solution as the only viable path to lasting peace.
As dawn breaks over the ruins of another Gazan home, the human cost of this conflict continues to mount. The fate of any potential survivors remains unknown as rescue efforts continue against the clock.
