In light of the attack, the statement said, "the Ministry of Health confirms that never before in history has such a large number of mass killing tools been amassed and employed together in front of the world as is happening now in Gaza," noting the severe shortages of water, food, medicine, electricity and fuel.

Eyewitnesses told CBS News' team in Gaza that eight airstrikes hit tents in western Rafah, though the reports could not be independently confirmed.

Footage from the scene showed heavy destruction, and a spokesperson with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said the death toll was likely to increase as search and rescue efforts continued in Rafah's Tal al-Sultan neighborhood west of the city center.

In a statement on its Telegram channel on Sunday, al-Qassam Brigades said the rockets were launched in response to what it called "Zionist massacres against civilians," Reuters reported.

The escalation came hours after aid trucks entered Gaza from southern Israel through a new agreement to bypass the Rafah crossing with Egypt.

On Saturday, CBS News reported that U.S. diplomatic efforts to broker a deal to release hostages held in Gaza by Hamas are expected to continue in the coming week.

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