12 February 2024 Rafah strikes
Israeli-conducted military assault / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 killings were known in Arab media and social media as the Super Bowl Massacre[3] as they coincided with Super Bowl LVIII.[4][5] The airstrikes destroyed at least one mosque and multiple inhabited homes, killing most or all of their occupants.
Super Bowl massacre | |
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Part of the background of the Rafah offensive and Israel–Hamas war | |
Location | Rafah, southern Gaza Strip |
Coordinates | 31°16′21″N 34°15′31″E |
Date | 12 February 2024 |
Attack type | Airstrikes, massacre |
Deaths | 83–100+ |
Injured | Unknown |
Perpetrators | Israeli Air Force |
Israeli government sources linked the airstrikes to its hostage rescue operation, Operation Golden Hand, describing the airstrikes as a diversion or "covering fire."[2][6][7] Israel freed two hostages in that operation.[8] The strikes came as Israel proposed a ground invasion of the city, which caused international concern.[9]
Casualties from the Israeli bombings began to reported by 2:30am and 20 were confirmed dead by 5:30am.[10] The total number of deaths was estimated as at least 94 people according to the Palestinian Health Ministry[11] and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society has estimated the death toll to be over 100.[12] According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, which pulled information from Rafah hospitals the dead included at least 27 children and 22 women.[13] 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]