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Majid Afifi’s uncle told AFP in Rafah that he was killed just 40 days after Israeli forces blew up several houses in Rafah while rescuing two Gazan hostages.

“We heard the explosion without any warning,” said Said al-Hams, 26, from Rafah refugee camp.

His twin nephews were “killed just 40 days old” and their mother was injured.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the newborn was one of about 100 people killed by Israeli forces in Rafah overnight.

Israel has launched dozens of attacks on Rafah, where some 1.4 million people have sought refuge during the four-month war between Israel and Hamas.

While Israel rejoiced over the release of two hostages, people in Rafah recounted a horrific night.

“The situation is hell,” said Abu Suhaib, who was sleeping dozens of meters away from where the Israeli forces attacked.

“We heard explosions and it was like hell had descended on civilians,” he told AFP.

The 28-year-old said he heard warplanes opening fire, shooting and helicopters landing.

A pile of rubble stood next to the ruins of a four-story house and several buildings flattened by Israeli attacks.

Witnesses said the residents of the house fled two months ago after the Israeli military warned them that the house would be bombed.

An AFP reporter said the aerial bombardment also left five huge craters, at least 10 meters wide and 5 meters deep.

“I can’t tell you how we spent the night,” said Abu Abdullah al-Qadi, who was awakened by gunfire.

“They killed my cousin, they killed a lot of people with strikes,” he told AFP as dozens gathered around the destroyed building.

“They attacked the building and appeared to free the prisoners and then bombed it,” Kady said.

“They bombed all the houses next to it,” he added.

“A terrible night”

The camp is in the center of Rafah, where large crowds gathered after Israel ordered people to flee the rest of Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Monday that “continued military pressure” was the only way to free all hostages, despite growing international concerns about a possible ground invasion of the city.

According to AFP statistics based on official Israeli data, Palestinian militants held approximately 250 hostages during an attack on southern Israel on October 7. Israel says about 130 people remain in Gaza, but 29 are believed to have died.

Hamas attacks killed about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Israel’s relentless offensive has killed at least 28,340 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Health.

Dozens of families displaced by the fighting began packing their few belongings on Monday, fearing attacks by ground troops.

“It’s a terrible night,” said Alaa Mohammed, from northern Gaza, who was dismantling a tent west of Rafah.

“What happened in the evening portends big things to come in Rafah. It looks like the Israeli army will enter Rafah as they announced,” the 42-year-old said.

The family was planning to travel to the Deir al-Balah area of ​​central Gaza, an early focus for Israeli forces after they destroyed large swathes of the north.

After a sleepless night, Mohammed began packing their blankets and mattresses while relatives searched for transportation.

“A lot of families around me were taking down their tents just like we were,” he said.

“I was hoping we could find a car or truck. We called more than one driver we knew, but they were all busy.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)