Dozens of people were killed in Rafah late Sunday after an Israeli airstrike hit an area where displaced civilians were sheltering in tents and sparked a fire that tore across the camp, local officials said.
Images showed the area engulfed in flames as screaming Palestinians fled for safety, with some video shared on social media showing disturbing images including severely burned corpses and a man holding what appears to be the headless body of a small child.
The strike drew condemnation from United Nations officials and Arab leaders just days after the U.N.’s top court ordered Israel to halt its offensive on the southern Gaza city where more than a million had sought refuge. Qatar warned it could hinder efforts to reach a cease-fire deal, while Israel’s own military prosecutor said the “very difficult” incident was under investigation.
The Israel Defense Forces said it had targeted two senior Hamas leaders but would review reports of fire spreading to areas where civilians were sheltering.
NBC News was not able to independently verify the situation on the ground.
‘They said it is safe’
The Gaza health ministry reported that at least 35 people had been killed in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood, the majority of them women and children. First responders had warned the number of casualties could rise as many were trapped in flames that erupted following the bombardment.
And on Monday, the Palestinian Civil Defense in Rafah said the death toll had risen to at least 40 people.
“This massacre is the largest in the city of Rafah in months,” Palestinian Civil Defense spokesman Muhammad Al-Mughir told NBC News. He stressed that the area that was hit was a designated “humanitarian area” next to U.N. warehouses.
One family described their harrowing escape after the apartment building they were sheltering in appeared to be impacted.
“Suddenly, windows shattered,” Hala Siam told NBC News’ crew on the ground. “The children got scared. We all went out to the street.”
“They said it is safe,” Siam said of the area she and her family were sheltering in. “There is no safe place in Rafah.”
The IDF said its strike targeted two Hamas leaders who it said were responsible for organizing terrorist attacks in the occupied West Bank area. It said that it was aware of reports that civilian tents were ignited in the strike and that the incident was “under review.”
“The strike was carried out against legitimate targets under international law,” the IDF said in a statement, adding that it used “precise munitions” based on “precise intelligence that indicated Hamas’ use of the area.”
The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether it targeted an area in a designated safe zone.
Israel’s top military prosecutor described the incident as “very difficult” and noted an investigation was underway.
“The IDF regrets any harm to un-involved civilians during the war,” Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi told a conference hosted by the Israel Bar Association.
In a statement, Hamas described the strike as a horrific “massacre.” It did not confirm the death of the commander or senior leader.
Earlier Sunday, Hamas’ military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, announced a missile barrage into Israel targeting Tel Aviv. The IDF said that eight projectiles were identified crossing from the area of Rafah into Israeli territory and that a number of projectiles had been intercepted.
An NBC News journalist witnessed one of those interceptions after sirens warning of incoming fire sounded in Israel for the first time in several weeks. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage in the area.
As video emerged of Sunday night’s deadly Rafah attack, outrage mounted in the international community, with mediators Qatar and Egypt condemning the assault “in the strongest terms” and branding the attack a violation of international law.
Qatar, a key broker in talks with Hamas to secure a truce deal that would secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas, said Monday the attack could imperil efforts toward a cease-fire.
Following weekend talks involving CIA Director William Burns in Europe, an Israeli official told NBC News the Israeli government was hopeful talks may resume this week.
A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council said after Sunday’s strike: “We’re aware of the reports and gathering more information. I’d have to refer you to the IDF to speak to their operations.”
In a briefing last Wednesday ahead of the International Court of Justice ruling, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Israel’s military operations appeared to have been “more targeted and limited.”
He said he had been briefed by Israeli officials on plans to “achieve its military objectives while taking account of civilian harm,” but said there was “no mathematical formula” for determining whether Israel was following through on its commitment.
President Joe Biden had been vocal warning Israel against any full-scale assault on Rafah, threatening to suspend the shipment of certain arms if it pushed forward with a major offensive.
In its ruling, the ICJ said at least 800,000 people had been forced to flee the area after Israel launched ground operations there earlier this month, but that many more remain.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced increasing scrutiny internationally and domestically over how Israel is conducting the war, which it launched after the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack. Officials estimated 1,200 people were killed; around 250 others were taken hostage, and about 125 are thought to still be captive in Gaza with around a quarter of those believed to be dead.
More than 35,000 people have been killed in Gaza over the last seven months of war, according to local health authorities. Aid groups have warned of catastrophic conditions for civilians who lack access to food and clean water, causing the rampant spread of disease and possible famine in some areas of the enclave.