Palestinians report at least 35 killed by Israeli strikes on displaced area in Rafah (2024)

The IDF spokesperson says the army killed two senior Hamas officials in an aerial strike in the Rafah area in southern Gaza which, according to Gaza authorities, killed over 35 Palestinians.

The two Hamas officials are named by the army as Yassin Rabia, in charge of Hamas' West Bank operations and Khaled Nagar, a senior member of Hamas' West Bank wing.

The strike was carried out in northwestern Rafah based on precise intelligence, according to the army.

The statement adds that the army is aware of reports that "as a result of the attack and a subsequent fire a number of uninvolved individuals were hit, the incident is being examined.

The IDF Spokesperson said the army carried out a strike on Sunday in Gaza's southern city of Rafah which was aimed at senior Hamas members "according to international law, using precise munitions, and based on prior intelligence indicating the use of the area by Hamas."

The spokesman noted that the army is "aware of the claim that as a result of the strike and subsequent fire a number of uninvolved individuals were hit. The incident is being examined."

Palestinian medics said 22 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the southern Gaza city of Rafah that hit tents for displaced people.

There were no immediate details on the target, but footage from the scene showed heavy destruction.

The IDF says the details of the incident are under review.

Yael Or, the cousin of Dror Or, who was murdered on October 7 and whose body was taken to Gaza, was summoned for questioning due to her participation in the protests by hostages' families – according to a support network for detainees within the protest movement.

According to the network – which monitors and provides legal assistance to anti-government protesters – Or was detained during a protest on Saturday night, released on the spot, and was summoned for questioning on Monday evening.

This is the third recent case in which a relative of a hostage has been summoned for questioning, following Natalie, the sister of hostage Matan Tsangoaker, and Shachar Mor, the nephew of hostage Avraham Munder, who were also summoned for questioning.

Here's what you need to know on day 233 of the war. For a full recap of the day, click here.

■ Israel's war cabinet is set to convene Sunday evening to discuss the negotiations.

■ Hamas fired a barrage of eight rockets at Tel Aviv and central Israel for the first time since January. Rocket shrapnel fell through the roof of a home in Herzliya, in Ra'anana and between Petah Tikva and Bnei Brak.

■ Thousands attended the funerals of Michel Nissenbaum and Hanan Yablonka, whose bodies were returned to Israel last week after being taken hostage to Gaza on October 7 and murdered.

■ The IDF announced the death of Sgt. Betzalel Zvi Kovach, 20, who died of wounds sustained in Gaza combat last week, and Sgt. Sahar Sudaei, 20, killed in north Gaza.

■ In Brussels, E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell met with Mohammad Mustafa, prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, alongside donors to the PA.

■ The IDF detected 15 rocket launches from Lebanon toward the area of Shlomi in northern Israel throughout Sunday. Another volley of 40 rockets was launched later on Sunday.

■ A Palestinian was shot by Israeli forces after attempting to stab soldiers at the Beit Anon intersection near Hebron in the West Bank.

■ Spain's foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, condemned as "scandalous and execrable" a video posted by his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz suggesting Hamas would be grateful to Spain, in the latest round of verbal hostilities between the two countries./