12 February 2024 Rafah strikes

"Super Bowl massacre" redirects here. For the shooting at the Super Bowl victory parade, see 2024 Kansas City parade shooting.
12 February 2024 Rafah strikes
Part of the background of the Rafah offensive and the Israel–Hamas war
Rafah is located in the Gaza Strip
Rafah
Rafah
LocationRafah, southern Gaza Strip
Coordinates31°16′21″N 34°15′31″E / 31.27250°N 34.25861°E / 31.27250; 34.25861
Date12 February 2024
Attack type
Airstrikes, massacre
Deaths83–100+
InjuredUnknown
Perpetrators Israeli Air Force

On 12 February 2024, Israel Defense Forces launched an assault on Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip, killing over 83 people.[1][2] The airstrikes destroyed at least one mosque and multiple inhabited homes, killing most or all of their occupants.

Israeli government sources linked the airstrikes to its hostage rescue operation, Operation Golden Hand, describing the airstrikes as a diversion or "covering fire."[2][3][4] Israel freed two hostages in that operation.[5] The strikes came as Israel proposed a ground invasion of the city, which caused international concern.[6]

Casualties from the Israeli bombings began to reported by 2:30am and 20 were confirmed dead by 5:30am.[7] The total number of deaths was estimated as at least 94 people according to the Palestinian Health Ministry[8] and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society has estimated the death toll to be over 100.[9] According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, which pulled information from Rafah hospitals the dead included at least 27 children and 22 women.[10] The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor compiled a list of 83 people killed, of whom 29 were children and another third were women (as identified by their names).[2]

  1. ^ Regan, Helen; Salman, Abeer (2024-02-12). "Israeli airstrikes kill more than 100 in Rafah as international alarm mounts over anticipated ground offensive". CNN. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  2. ^ a b c Horn, Alexandre. "«Massacre du Super Bowl» à Rafah : les frappes de Tsahal lors de la libération des otages ont tué des dizaines de civils, dont une trentaine d'enfants". Libération (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  3. ^ Kingsley, Patrick (2024-02-12). "Here is how Israel said it freed 2 hostages from Gaza". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  4. ^ Ravid, Barak (2024-02-12). "Israeli military rescues two hostages held in the Gaza city of Rafah, officials say". Axios. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  5. ^ Kingsley, Patrick; Yazbek, Hiba (2024-02-12). "Israeli Raid in Rafah Rescues 2 Hostages and Kills Dozens, Officials Say". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
  6. ^ Pérez-Peña, Richard (2024-02-12). "U.S., U.N. and International Criminal Court Intensify Warnings Against Invading Rafah". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Regan, Helen (2024-02-12). "Israeli airstrikes kill more than 100 in Rafah as international alarm mounts over anticipated ground offensive". CNN. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  9. ^ Edwards, Sally; Sonnad-Joshi, Aran (February 12, 2024). "Nearly 200 Harvard Students Hold 'Die-In' Protesting Airstrikes on Rafah | News | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  10. ^ "Airstrike from Israeli hostage rescue wipes out entire Palestinian family in Gaza border town". AP News. 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-02-15.