In Pictures

South of Gaza Strip pounded by air strikes as civilians seek refuge

Over the last 24 hours, the bombardment has intensified, with the majority of the casualties being civilians.

Palestinians are evacuated from buildings hit in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Rafah, Sunday — Palestinians are evacuated from buildings hit in the Israeli bombardment in Rafah on Sunday, October 22. [Hatem Ali/AP Photo]

Israeli air attacks continue to pound the Gaza Strip. On Saturday night, strikes hit a popular cafe in Khan Younis and a restaurant in a bustling market area as people were buying food, leaving several casualties.

Over the last 24 hours, the bombardment has intensified. The majority of casualties – along with those injured and brought to hospitals – are civilians, with a significant number of them being children and women.

Israel has warned more than one million residents of the northern part of Gaza to move south for their safety, and the United Nations says more than half the enclave’s population is now internally displaced.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians are believed to be trapped in and around Gaza City in the north, unwilling or unable to leave.

Palestinians look for survivers in buildings destroyed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Rafah — Palestinians look for survivors in buildings destroyed in an Israeli air strike in Rafah. [Hatem Ali/AP Photo]

A Palestinian carries a boy wounded during the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Deir Al-Balah — A Palestinian carries a boy wounded during the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Deir al-Balah on Sunday. [Hatem Moussa/AP Photo]

Palestinians look for survivors after the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Deir Al-Balah — The search for survivors goes on after the Israeli bombardment of Deir al-Balah on Sunday. [Hatem Moussa/AP Photo]

Palestinians evacuate building hit n the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Rafah, Sunday — Palestinians evacuate a building hit in the Israeli bombardment of Rafah. [Hatem Ali/AP Photo]

Palestinian medic takes a baby pulled out of buildings destroyed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Rafah — A Palestinian medic carries a baby pulled out of destroyed buildings in Rafah. [Hatem Ali/AP Photo]

A Palestinian man reacts as the body of his daughter is unearthed from under the rubble after an Israeli strike on Rafah on Sunday. [Said Khatib/AFP]

A young man transports a bag of food as smoke rises from buildings behind him during an Israeli strike in Rafah. [Mohammed Abed/AFP]

People queue in front of a bakery in Rafah. Since the start of the war, Israel has cut off supplies of water, electricity, fuel and food to the Palestinian enclave of 2.3 million people, creating chronic shortages. [Mohammed Abed/AFP]

A mourner carries the body of a child, during the funeral of Palestinians from al-Astal family, who were killed in Israeli strikes, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip — A mourner carries the body of a child during the funeral of Palestinians who were killed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis on Sunday. [Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters]

Mourners attend the funeral of Palestinians from the al-Astal family, who were killed in Israeli strikes, in Khan Younis — Mourners attend the funeral of Palestinians from the al-Astal family, who were killed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis. [Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters]

Friends and relatives stand by the bodies of Palestinians killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah — Friends and relatives stand by the bodies of Palestinians killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah on Sunday. [Fatima Shbair/AP Photo]