The airstrike comes as Palestinians in Rafah prepare for an attack, with aid agencies fearing heavy casualties.
Israeli air strikes on Rafah in southern Gaza have killed dozens of people, health officials said, as Palestinians prepare for a major attack on the crowded city.
There were conflicting reports about the death toll after Monday’s predawn strike.
AFP news agency reported that 52 people were killed in the airstrike, while Reuters said 37 people were killed. Both media outlets cited health officials in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli airstrikes hit 14 homes and three mosques in Rafah, Palestinian officials said.
The Israeli military said it had attacked a number of “terrorist targets” in the Shaboula district of Rafah province and that the attack had ended.
The Israeli military also announced that it had rescued two prisoners captured by Hamas during a night operation in Rafah.
Military officials said the prisoners Fernando Simon Marman and Louis Ha were in good condition.
Hamas warned that an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah would “disrupt” negotiations for the release of its remaining prisoners in Gaza.
The attack on Rafah comes as Israel prepares to launch a major offensive that aid agencies fear could cause mass casualties among civilians in the last relatively safe area of Gaza. It was conducted.
About 1.4 million Palestinians, more than half of Gaza’s population, have flocked to the Rafah Strip to escape Israeli shelling, leaving much of the rest of the enclave in ruins.
US President Joe Biden on Sunday told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to launch an attack on Rafah without a “credible and workable plan” to ensure the safety of those sheltering in the city. I warned you.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised “safe passage” to Palestinians in Rafah, but unclear evacuation plans have raised fears they could be pushed into Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, raising tensions with Cairo.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News on Sunday that there is “plenty of space” north of Rafah and that is “where we will direct them”, but he is not sure which part of Gaza to evacuate to. It was not made clear whether it was safe.
