Israel strikes Gaza's Rafah, destroying a mosque and homes

Hamas chief’s trip to Cairo raises truce hopes as full-blown assault on city looms

GAZA Israeli bombs flattened a mosque and destroyed homes in Rafah in what residents called one of their worst nights yet, while the head of the militant group Hamas was in Cairo for talks Gazans hope could bring a truce in time to head off a full-blown assault on Rafah.

Mourners wailed over at least seven corpses in body bags laid out on cobbles outside a morgue in Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million is now huddling, mostly in tents.

Gaza health authorities said 97 people were confirmed killed and 130 wounded in the last 24 hours of Israeli assaults, but most victims were still under rubble or in areas rescuers could not reach.

The Al-Farouk mosque in the centre of Rafah was flattened into slabs of concrete, with the facades of adjacent buildings blasted away. The authorities said four houses were struck in the south of the city and three in the centre.

Residents said the bombing was the heaviest since an Israeli raid on the city 10 days ago that freed two hostages and killed scores of civilians.