Among them was an amputee on crutches, a couple with a newborn baby and a man in a wheelchair carrying a child.
“ONE OBSTACLE”
“We are living in constant terror amid relentless shelling and powerful explosions,” said Sara Abu Ramadan, 20, a resident of Gaza City.
“Why such massive firepower in these rockets? What’s their goal? We are dying here, with nowhere to seek refuge … and the world just watches. Why so much injustice?”
Gaza’s civil defence agency said at least seven people were killed since dawn on Sunday in Israeli strikes in the territory.
The Israeli military also issued a new evacuation order for residents of Gaza City ahead of new strikes.
Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military.
On Friday, the UN General Assembly voted to back a revival of the two-state solution, in defiance of Israeli opposition.
Israeli allies Britain and France, alongside several other Western nations, are set to recognise Palestinian statehood at a UN gathering this month out of exasperation at Israel’s conduct of the Gaza war and in the occupied West Bank.
Nevertheless, Israel retains the backing of its most powerful ally and biggest arms supplier, the United States.
Ahead of Rubio’s visit, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the diplomatic chief would show “our commitment to fight anti-Israel actions including unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that rewards Hamas terrorism”.
At home, opponents of the Netanyahu government have sought to pressure ministers to end the war in return for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
On Saturday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the main campaign group for the captives, accused the Israeli premier of being the “one obstacle” to freeing the hostages.
Of the 251 people taken hostage by Palestinian militants in October 2023, 47 remain in Gaza, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead.
