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RAFAH: In the early hours of Monday, the Israeli occupation regime embarked on an intense bombardment campaign targeting the densely overcrowded southern Gaza city of Rafah, killing and injuring hundreds of civilians.

Health authorities in Rafah reported the tragic killing of more than 100 civilians, including children and women, with hundreds more wounded.

The casualties were rushed to hospitals across the city, Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) reported.

The Palestinian Red Crescent stated that Rafah is witnessing fierce Israeli airstrikes concentrated in the city centre, hitting residential homes near the Red Crescent headquarters.

Director of Kuwait Hospital in the city, Suhaib Al-Hams, said the hospital is overwhelmed with seriously wounded patients and lacks sufficient medications and supplies.

Local sources said that Israeli warplanes launched approximately 40 airstrikes, targeting numerous homes and mosques sheltering displaced individuals across the city. This was accompanied by intense artillery shelling and naval bombardment on Rafah.

Civilian vehicles carrying casualties arrived at Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah, while hundreds evacuated to the hospital to escape the ongoing bombardment, according to local sources and witnesses.

Among the targeted mosques were Al-Rahma in Shaboura and Al-Huda in the Yibna refugee camp, both accommodating dozens of displaced families, along with more than 14 inhabited houses. The Israeli airstrikes also extended to areas near the border with Egypt. 

Estimates indicate around 1.4 million citizens and internally displaced refugees are currently present in Rafah after Israeli occupation forces compelled hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from northern Gaza to relocate southwards in the early stages of the current aggression.

In a preliminary toll, the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since Oct 7 has resulted in the murder of over 28,176 individuals, the majority of whom are innocent civilians, and over 68,000 injuries.

Thousands of victims remain trapped under rubble and in the streets, as Israeli forces obstruct rescue teams from reaching them.