A woman breaks down in tears next to the body of a relative killed in the Israeli attack in Rafah.
Israel has been conducting operations in the besieged Palestinian territories for almost seven months. Despite international warnings, the country is determined to launch an operation in the southern city of Rafah in Gaza. At least 19 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes last Friday. Hospital authorities said that six of the dead were children.
Citing the Gaza Civil Defense, the news agency Reuters reported that the funeral of the victims of the deadly attack was held in Tal al-Sultan area, western Rafah, on Saturday. In the morgue of Al-Najjar Hospital, relatives can be seen hugging the bodies of children covered in white shrouds.
A grieving old woman hugged her grandson’s body and said, “My dear Hamza.” How beautiful your hair looks.’
Among the dead were Abdel-Fattah Sovi Radwan, his wife Najla Ahmed Awedah and their three children, his brother-in-law Ahmed Barhoum said. Barhum lost his wife Rawan Radwan and their five-year-old daughter Alaa in the attack.
Crying with the body of baby Ala in her arms, Barhum told the Associated Press, “This world has become devoid of human values and morality. They bombed houses sheltering displaced women and children. Only women and children were killed in this.
Al Jazeera journalist Hani Mahmoud said the scene of the transfer of the body from Al-Najjar hospital to the final burial was heartbreaking. “Most of them were children wrapped in white sheets soaked in blood…” A doctor at the hospital said that the blood bathed children had deep wounds.
Hani Mahmud also said, ‘Their bodies were burnt to such an extent that even if they were brought to the hospital alive, it would not have been possible to save them. In the current situation, it is not possible to treat such an injury in any way.
Al Jazeera’s correspondents said that the Israeli military continued to attack the city on Saturday.