ISRAELI air strikes on two of Gaza’s historic refugee camps killed at least 17 people today as tanks pushed deeper into Rafah, according to residents and medics.

Civilians reported heavy attacks from both the sky and the ground in several areas of the southern city, where millions of people had taken refuge in recent months after Israel declared it a safe zone.

A father of six from the region told Reuters: “Rafah is being bombed without any intervention from the world, the occupation [Israel] is acting freely here.

“There are Israeli forces in most areas, there is heavy resistance too and they are making them pay dearly but the occupation is not ethical and they are destroying the city and the refugee camp.”

Health officials said a man was killed in the morning by Israeli fire and many others have also died in the past days and weeks, although rescue teams have been unable to reach them to know the scale of deaths.

In central Gaza, air strikes on two houses killed 17 Palestinians in al-Nuseirat and al-Bureij, both of which are designated refugee camps that are home to families and descendants of people who fled to Gaza in the 1948 Nakba, medics said.

A 45-year-old teacher, referred to only as Khalil and who is now displaced with his family in Deir al-Balah city in the central Gaza Strip, said: “Every more hour of delay, Israel kills more people, we want a ceasefire now.

“Enough of our blood, I say it to Israel, America, and our leaders too. The war must stop.”

Hamas and Islamic Jihad said their fighters confronted Israeli forces in combat zones with anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs, and have in some areas detonated pre-planted explosive devices against army units.

It comes as the world has been distracted by the announcement on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dissolved the war cabinet that has overseen the military offensive in Gaza.

And both Israel and Hamas are considering the latest proposal for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages of October 7.

Israeli government officials said Mr Netanyahu would hold smaller forums for sensitive war issues, including with his security cabinet, which includes far-right governing partners who oppose ceasefire deals and have voiced support for reoccupying Gaza.