At least 28 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in Rafah

Israel has carried out airstrikes in Rafah almost daily , even after telling civilians in recent weeks to seek shelter there from ground combat in the city of Khan Younis .

More than half of Gaza 's 2.3 million people are packed into Rafah , many after being uprooted repeatedly by Israeli evacuation orders.

U.S. officials have said an invasion of Rafah without a plan for the civilian population would lead to disaster.

Israel holds Hamas responsible for civilian deaths because it fights from within civilian areas.

"The entire area has turned into rubble," said Assad Radwan , a Gaza City resident who lives close to Shifa Hospital , the strip 's biggest. "Most of Gaza (city) has become unrecognizable for its own people." In a sign of resilience, hundreds of people gathered Friday for outdoor prayers amid the destruction of the urban refugee camp of Jebaliya in northern Gaza . Friday prayers are the highlight of the Muslim religious week, and the mass gathering marked the first such service since the start of the war. for more features..