Israeli air strikes on three houses in Rafah, southern Gaza, killed 20 people and injured many more, medics said Monday.
Hours before Egypt was scheduled to host leaders of the Islamist organization Hamas to talk about prospects for a ceasefire agreement with Israel, strikes were launched on Rafah, where over a million people are seeking shelter after months of Israeli bombardment.
On Sunday, Hamas officials stated that a delegation led by the group’s deputy Gaza chief would discuss a ceasefire proposal presented by Hamas to mediators from Qatar and Egypt, as well as Israel’s response. As Israel threatened to invade Rafah, mediators, backed by the United States, increased their efforts to reach an agreement.
Israel has threatened to eliminate Hamas, which rules Gaza, in a military assault that has killed over 34,000 Palestinians, including 66 in the last 24 hours, according to Gaza’s health officials.
The war has displaced the majority of the enclave’s 2.3 million people and destroyed much of its infrastructure.