One family described their harrowing escape after the apartment building they were sheltering in appeared to be impacted.
“Suddenly, windows shattered,” Hala Siam told NBC News’ crew on the ground. “The children got scared. We all went out to the street.”
“They said it is safe,” Siam said of the area she and her family were sheltering in. “There is no safe place in Rafah.”
The IDF said its strike targeted two Hamas leaders who it said were responsible for organizing terrorist attacks in the occupied West Bank area. It said that it was aware of reports that civilian tents were ignited in the strike and that the incident was “under review.”
In a subsequent statement, the IDF said that the airstrike was based on “prior intelligence information regarding the presence of the senior Hamas terrorists at the site.” It said that before the strike “a number of steps were taken to reduce the risk of harming uninvolved civilians” and that “it was assessed that there would be no expected harm to uninvolved civilians.”
It said that an investigation was underway into “the circumstances of the deaths of civilians in the area of the strike. The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved civilians during combat.”
In a statement, Hamas described the strike as a horrific “massacre.” It did not confirm the death of the commander or senior leader.
Earlier Sunday, Hamas’ military wing announced a missile barrage into Israel targeting Tel Aviv, the first in many weeks. The IDF said that eight projectiles were identified crossing from the area of Rafah into Israeli territory and that a number had been intercepted.
As outrage mounted over Sunday’s Rafah attack, mediators Qatar and Egypt condemned the assault as a violation of international law. Qatar, a key broker in talks with Hamas, warned it could imperil efforts toward a new hostage deal.
Following weekend talks involving CIA Director William Burns in Paris, an Israeli official told NBC News the Israeli government was hopeful talks may resume this week.
But French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “outraged by the Israeli strikes that have killed many displaced persons in Rafah,” adding “these operations must stop.” The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, also condemned the strike and said he was “horrified.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council said after Sunday’s strike: “We’re aware of the reports and gathering more information.”
