22 Palestinians killed in overnight Israeli airstrikes on Rafah

At least 22 Palestinians were killed in overnight Israeli airstrikes on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, said Palestinian security and medical sources on Monday, reported Xinhua.

Security sources told Xinhua that Israeli warplanes launched more than 12 raids overnight on various areas of the city of Rafah in the far south of Gaza.

The intense raids targeted a number of residential homes and agricultural lands, said the sources.

Meanwhile, medical sources told Xinhua that the bombing led to the killing of 22 Palestinians, including 10 children and five women. Several others were injured and taken to city hospitals for treatment.

The Israeli army on Monday ordered Palestinian residents to evacuate from eastern Rafah in preparation for a planned offensive in the area.

Israel considers Rafah the last major stronghold of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Located in the southernmost part of the Strip, Rafah shelters approximately 1.4 million Palestinians.

Israel has launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, following Hamas's surprise attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people.