Two prominent Hamas officials are among the at least 35 persons who have died in Rafah as a result of Israeli airstrikes targeting a camp for displaced Gaza residents.

Israel’s army said it “struck a Hamas compound in Rafah”, killing Yassin Rabia and Khaled Nagar, both of whom were senior officials in the occupied West Bank

According to the army, both individuals participated in Hamas's operations in the West Bank, including organizing attacks and sending money, and Nagar oversaw monies meant for the organization's actions in Gaza.

“The strike was carried out against legitimate targets under international law, through the use of precise munitions and on the basis of precise intelligence that indicated Hamas’s use of the area,” it added.

“The (Israeli army) is aware of reports indicating that as a result of the strike and fire that was ignited several civilians in the area were harmed. The incident is under review.”

The Gazan ministry said in a statement that Israeli strikes “claimed the lives of 35 martyrs and left dozens injured, most of them children and women”.

The attack on the area, which had reportedly been designated as a humanitarian zone, came hours after Hamas fired a barrage of rockets at Tel Aviv, with three of the eight missiles being intercepted by Israel’s sophisticated air defence system.

It was the first Hamas attack on central Israel in four months. 

The latest Israeli air strikes came despite a ruling by the International Court of Justice that Israel stop its Rafah offensive. 

It also follows calls from the court for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes, along with three key Hamas figures Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammed Deif.

According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, there was a large number of casualties in the attack on the Tal Al-Sultan camp, which saw tents set alight.

It said on X that it was transporting a large number of victims by ambulance.

Hours earlier, air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv, Herzliya and Petah Tikva.

However, the barrage - which Hamas said was in response to the “massacre of civilians” - only caused minor damage. Two people suffered minor injuries and a house in Herzliya was damaged by shrapnel.

Israel said its attack was aimed at a rocket launcher which had been placed near two mosques.

Despite pleas from the international community, Israel began its assault on southern Gaza three weeks ago.

Benny Gantz, a retired army general and minister without a portfolio in the Netanyahu cabinet, said the latest attacks underlined the need for Israel to press ahead with its onslaught to eliminate Hamas.

According to the United Nations, more than 800,000 Palestinians have already fled Rafah in southern Gaza and a further 1.5 million people have been sheltering elsewhere.

Israel has insisted that it has tried to minimise civilian casualties, partly by designating areas as “humanitarian zones”.

But aid groups allege that Israeli air strikes have hit people sheltering in these zones.

Despite the latest exchanges, negotiations are continuing for a truce which would see the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas, who were seized on October 7.

The Hamas chief has demanded that the Israeli army withdraw completely from Gaza, but this was again rejected outright by Mr Netanyahu in a statement on Sunday.

His office said: “Sinwar continues to demand the end of the war, the withdrawal of the IDF (army) from the Gaza Strip and leaving Hamas in place, so that it will be able to carry out the atrocities of October 7 again and again”.