Screenshot, AP, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah have resulted in the deaths of 22 people, including 18 children, as reported by health officials.

The escalation in Rafah, a city where many of Gaza's population have sought refuge, has seen continuous air raids and a vow from Israel to intensify its ground offensive against Hamas.

“In the coming days, we will increase the political and military pressure on Hamas because this is the only way to bring back our hostages and achieve victory. We will land more and painful blows on Hamas – soon,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, as quoted by The Jerusalem Post.

The human cost of these operations was starkly highlighted when a family, including a man, his wife, and their 3-year-old child, was killed in the first strike in Rafah. The woman was pregnant, and although the baby was saved by doctors at the nearby Kuwaiti Hospital, the second strike claimed the lives of 17 more children and two women from an extended family.

“These children were sleeping. What did they do? What was their fault?” Umm Kareem, a relative of the victims, asked in a statement reported to the Associated Press (AP).

Another relative, Umm Mohammad, described to the AP the horrific scene as the oldest victim, an 80-year-old aunt, was taken out “in pieces,” with small children being zipped into body bags.

Mohammed al-Beheiri shared his grief with the AP, as his daughter Rasha and her six children, the youngest being 18 months old, were also among those killed.

A woman and three children from this family were still under the rubble at the time of reporting.

The broader conflict has taken a severe toll, with over 34,000 Palestinians killed, the majority being women and children.

Despite this, the House of Representatives has approved a $26 billion aid package for Israel, which includes about $9 billion in humanitarian assistance for Gaza. This assistance comes as the Senate is expected to pass the package soon, with President Joe Biden ready to sign it immediately. The ongoing war, sparked by an unprecedented raid by Hamas into southern Israel on October 7, continues to devastate, raising fears of all-out war and increasing unrest across the region.

The Gaza Strip, a small territory along the Mediterranean coast bordered by Israel and Egypt, has been under Hamas control since 2007 the group, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and other governments on account of their propensity for attacks on civilians such as that of October 7th.

This territory has faced a blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt, aimed at restricting the movement of goods and people in response to security concerns posed by Hamas and its militant activities. The blockade has severely impacted Gaza's economy, healthcare, and the daily lives of its nearly 2 million inhabitants, contributing to widespread poverty and a humanitarian crisis that international organizations like the UN have repeatedly highlighted.

The current escalation in violence traces back to numerous factors, including political tensions within Israel, Palestinian leadership disputes, and broader regional politics involving countries such as Iran, which supports Hamas.

The conflict has been marked by cycles of violence, including rocket fire from Gaza into Israeli territory and retaliatory strikes by Israel. These exchanges have frequently resulted in significant civilian casualties and destruction, particularly in densely populated areas of Gaza.