An Israeli airstrike targeted the residence where a Palestinian family had sought refuge in the southern city of Rafah, according to accounts from relatives and neighbors who were digging through the debris with their bare hands.
Al-Arja reported that the explosion resulted in the deaths of at least 10 individuals.
“We recovered the bodies of children and women, finding limbs and fragments. They were all torn apart,” he expressed, while clearing rubble and shattered olive branches from the scene. “It’s beyond horrific. This isn’t normal. The entire world shares responsibility.”
At the onset of the conflict on Oct. 7, Israel instructed Gaza residents in the north to relocate to “safe zones” in the southern region, such as Rafah. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since declared intentions to invade Rafah, home to over 1.5 million people living in shelters, which is more than half of the territory’s population.
“How can Rafah be considered safe?” questioned Zeyad Ayyad, a relative of the victims, as he cradled a fragment of human remains. “I heard the bombing last night but never imagined it hit my aunt’s house.”
The process of searching for remains was arduous and heart-wrenching. The airstrike left a massive crater, with children sifting through rubble while neighbors worked to clear debris and unearth personal belongings.
“We can see them trapped under the rubble, but we can’t reach them,” Al-Arja lamented. “These are people who moved from the north believing the south was safer.”
“They attacked us without any warning,” he added.
In another incident, an airstrike on a house in Rafah’s Al-Salam neighborhood overnight on Tuesday led to the tragic loss of eight family members, including five children and two women, as reported by Gaza’s civil defense service.
“An Israeli missile struck a house where displaced families were staying,” recounted resident Sami Nyrab. “My sister’s son-in-law, along with her daughter and grandchildren, were having dinner when their house was obliterated by an Israeli missile.”
