Rafah:
Gaza civil protection and aid officials said Monday that Israeli fighter jets attacked two areas in eastern Rafah that the Israeli army had ordered evacuated ahead of a possible ground invasion of the Palestinian city.
“The areas targeted by the Israeli occupation are near the border of Gaza International Airport, the Al-Shuka area, the Abu Halawa area, the Salaheddin Street area and the Salam district,” Ahmed Ridwan, spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Protection Agency, to AFP. Another aid official confirmed the strikes.
The Israeli military made no immediate comment, but earlier on Sunday ordered residents of Al-Shuka and Al-Salam to evacuate and move to a humanitarian area.
Osama al-Kahlut of the Red Crescent's emergency operations department told AFP that the bombings targeted eastern parts of Rafah.
“It is clear that these are homes, but we have not received any communication or information about the presence of victims in the target areas,” he said.
Yaqub al-Sheikh Salama, 30, a resident of East Rafah, said the bombings were intense in Al-Salam, Al-Shuka and other areas.
“There are huge explosions and terrifying sounds of air and artillery bombardment,” Salam told AFP.
“Children and women are scared and don't know where to go,” he said.
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