20 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on Rafah

At least 20 Palestinians were killed in intensive Israeli airstrikes in the southernmost Gazan city of Rafah, Palestinian security and medical sources said on Tuesday, reported Xinhua.

The security sources told Xinhua that Israeli warplanes carried out dozens of airstrikes targeting more than 11 populated residential homes in various areas of Rafah, adding that Israeli artillery also shelled agricultural lands on the eastern outskirts of Rafah.

Medical sources told Xinhua that 20 were killed, including women and children, and several wounded.

The civil defense agency said that its affiliated teams continue to search for missing people under the rubble of targeted homes in Rafah.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army said that its forces launched a surprise operation to neutralize targets belonging to Hamas east of Rafah and achieved operational control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing.

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on social media platform X that the operation was based on intelligence from the General Security Service (Shin Bet) and the Military Intelligence Directorate.

He confirmed the continuation of Israeli army forces' work in the area.