Israeli airstrikes in the southern Gaza city of Rafah have resulted in the deaths of at least 22 people, including six women and five children, according to Palestinian health officials.
Among the tragic casualties was a 5-day-old baby, highlighting the devastating toll of the conflict.
Israel's frequent airstrikes on Rafah, which have continued since the beginning of the war, have raised concerns.
Israel has also threatened to deploy ground troops, alleging Rafah is the last major stronghold of Hamas in the coastal enclave.
The city, located near the Egyptian border, has become a refuge for over a million Palestinians.
Despite calls from the U.S. and others to refrain from invasion, citing fears of a humanitarian crisis, the situation remains tense.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to visit Israel on his latest trip to the region, which began in Saudi Arabia on Monday.
He said Israel needs to do more to allow aid to enter Gaza, but that the best way to alleviate the humanitarian crisis is for the two sides to agree to a cease-fire.
Israel's genocidal attacks in Gaza have killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, around two-thirds of them children and women.
The latest round in the Israel-Palestine conflict was sparked by the unprecedented Oct. 7 incursion into southern Israel, in which the group killed around 1,200 people and abducted around 250 hostages, says Israel.
The war has driven around 80% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million from their homes, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities, and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine.
