Israel Confirms Striking Hamas Compound in Rafah

Jerusalem, 27 May, 2024 (TPS) -- The Israel Defense Forces confirmed carrying out an airstrike on a Hamas compound in Rafah on Sunday night where senior Hamas figures were present.

Unconfirmed Palestinian reports say that a fire from the airstrike possibly caused by exploding Hamas weapons spread to a nearby camp for displaced Palestinians.

“The strike was carried out against legitimate targets under international law, using precise munitions and on the basis of precise intelligence that indicated Hamas’ use of the area,” the IDF said in a statement.

“The IDF is aware of reports indicating that as a result of the strike and fire that was ignited several civilians in the area were harmed. The incident is under review,” the statement added.

On Sunday afternoon, Hamas fired a barrage of rockets at the Tel Aviv metropolitan area for the first time in four months. The night before, the IDF destroyed rocket launchers in Rafah that were targeting the Kerem Shalom border crossing, a key transit point for trucks delivering humanitarian aid from Gaza.

At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 125 remaining hostages, 39 are believed dead.