AT least 22 people, including 18 children were killed in an overnight air strike on Rafah today as the US approved billions of additional dollars in military aid to Israel.
The US House of Representatives passed a $95 billion (£76.8bn) international aid package on Saturday night, with about $26bn (£21bn) in support for Israel’s missile defence systems and humanitarian assistance.
It will be signed off by President Joe Biden later this week once the Senate approves the legislative package.
Israel has carried out near-daily air raids on the southern Gazan city of Rafah, which borders Eygpt and where more than a million people have sought refuge from its bombardments after Israel said it was a safe zone.
It has also promised to expand its ground offence in the city.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement today: “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.”
Hours after the US announcement, an Israeli strike in Rafah killed a family with a three-year-old child, according to hospital officials who received the bodies.
A pregnant woman was also killed in the strike, but doctors were able to save the baby.
A second strike killed 17 children and two women. Mohammed al-Beheiri said his daughter, Rasha, and her six children, the youngest 18 months old, were among those killed.
“These children were sleeping. What did they do? What was their fault?” asked one relative, Umm Kareem.
Another relative, Umm Mohammad, said the oldest killed, an 80-year-old aunt, was taken out “in pieces.”
The US and other nations, including Britain, have called on their ally Israel to take caution to limit civilian casualties but continue to support the military offensive despite international calls for a ceasefire.