New Delhi: More than 100 Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed since Monday as multiple locations in Rafah were attacked by the Israeli forces, according to Palestine Red Crescent Society as per a CNN report. The strikes took place when Israeli forces rescued two hostages by storming a heavily guarded apartment. There are conflicting reports on the death toll. As per an AP report, Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for the Gaza Health Ministry said at least 67 people died in the strikes. In the Abu Youssef al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah, an AP journalist claims to have counted at least 50 bodies. Due to the overnight bombardment in Rafah, a large area of flattened houses, tattered tents and lines of bloodied bodies brought into nearby hospitals were visible, according to AP footage. The population in Rafah, which borders Egypt is 1.4 million. Israel describes it as “the last remaining Hamas stronghold in the territory”. It is noteworthy that more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is in Rafah. As per a BBC report, satellite images suggest that every open space in the city has been taken up by tents and other temporary shelters. Also read: Adani JV Just Exported Lethal Drones to Israel, Same Model Being Used in Genocide-Tainted Gaza WarAs per the AP report, Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari quoted that special forces broke into a second-floor apartment in Rafah under fire at 1:49 a.m. which was accompanied a minute later by airstrikes on surrounding areas. He claimed that members of the rescue team shielded the hostages with their bodies as Hamas were guarding the captives. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 12,300 Palestinian children and young teens and about 8,400 women have been killed in the conflict so far, AP reported. Further, children and young teens comprise 43% of the overall death toll in Gaza, and women and minors together make up three quarters, as per the report.