Israeli strikes in Israel's Gaza Strip killed at least 19 Palestinians until Sunday, including senior Hamas political leaders and several women and children.
This is just as Israeli forces ordered people to evacuate parts of Rafa, located on the border with Egypt.
The military said it would soon be active in the Tel Sultan area of Rafa. Israel launched a major attack in the city in May.
People were ordered to evacuate on foot along a single route to the Mawasi region. It was not immediately known whether the evacuation order would mean that Israeli forces would renew their ground operations.
Israel orders the IDF to grab more Gaza territory if Hamas does not release hostages
The strike in Israel in southern Gaza killed at least 19 Palestinians overnight on Sunday, including a senior Hamas political leader. (IDF)
“Whether you're staying in the camp, tent or home at Tell Al Sultan, or walking on another route, risk the life of your family and the life of your family,” military spokesperson Colonel Avichey Adrie said in a statement.
Hamas said Politburo member Sarah Bardawir was killed in a strike at Mawasi along with his wife. Bardawill, who was also a member of the Palestinian Parliament, was a well-known member of Hamas' political division who spoke to the media for many years.
Two hospitals in southern Gaza said they have received the bodies of 17 people killed in the strike, including several women and children. Bardawill and his wife were not included in this number.
The European Hospital said five children and their parents were killed in the strike at Khan Eunice. The two girls and another family of their parents were killed on another strike. Kuwait Hospital said it had received the bodies of a woman and a child killed in another strike.
Hamas said Politburo member Sarah Bardawir was killed in a strike at Mawasi along with his wife. (IDF)
Palestinian Red Crescent Emergency Service said Israeli forces blocked ambulances from responding to strikes in Rafa, and some of the medics were injured.
Israel's ceasefire with Hamas ended last week when the Jewish state launched a string of airstrikes and killed hundreds of Palestinians.
The ceasefire began in January and suspended the 15-month war caused by Hamas' attacks by the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The 25 Israeli hostages and eight other bodies were released during the ceasefire in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Negotiations were to begin in early February at the next phase of the armistice. Hamas was called to release the remaining 59 hostages in exchange for additional Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire and Israel's withdrawal from Gaza.
Ceasefire as Israel strikes Gaza after Hamas refuses to release hostages
Two hospitals in southern Gaza said they have received the bodies of 17 people killed in the strike, including several women and children. (Photo: Amir Levy/Getty Images)
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However, these negotiations never began, and Israel retreated from the ceasefire agreement after Hamas rejected proposals for Israeli and US support and rejected proposals to release more hostages ahead of consultations on a permanent truce.
Hamas killed about 1,200 people in the attack on October 7th and acquitted 251 hostages. Most of the prisoners have been released through ceasefire agreements and other transactions, but Israeli forces rescued eight people and recovered dozens of bodies.
The Israeli attacks killed around 50,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, the Hamas-run government's government that does not distinguish between terrorists and civilians.
Meanwhile, the Huthi rebels supported by Iran-based Hamas ally in Yemen, launched another missile in Israel, but Israeli forces said the projectiles had been intercepted. There were no reports of casualties or damage.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
