CAIRO: Israeli air strikes on three houses in Rafah city of Gaza have killed at least 13 people and injured many others, medics said on Monday.
According to Hamas media outlets 15 people were killed in the recent strikes.
Health officials said Israeli planes struck two houses in Rafah, killing and injuring several people.
The strikes on Rafah, where over a million population of Gaza is taking refuge, came hours before Egypt was expected to host leaders of Hamas to discuss a ceasefire agreement with Israel.
According to Gaza’s health authorities, the Israeli military operation has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the besieged enclave, 66 of them in the past 24 hours.
Conflict displaces 2.3 million Gaza population
The conflict has already displaced most of the 2.3 million population of Gaza.
Hamas on Sunday said a delegation, led by Khalil Al-Hayya, the group’s deputy Gaza chief, would discuss a ceasefire proposal as well as Israel’s response. Mediators, backed by the United States, have intensified their efforts to reach a deal as Israel threatened to attack Rafah.
Two Hamas officials who spoke to Western media did not disclose details of the latest proposals.
After the first phase of the agreement, Israel would permit free movement between the south and north of Gaza and a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
A senior Hamas official on Monday said talks in Cairo will be held between the Hamas delegation and the Qatari and the Egyptian mediators.
The official said Hamas has some queries over the Israeli response to its proposal, which the Palestinian movement received from mediators on Friday.
