Dozens killed and wounded after Israel bombs displaced Palestinians

At least 40 Palestinians were killed and dozens more wounded on Sunday when Israeli air strikes targeted a centre for displaced people in Gaza's southern city of Rafah.

The strikes took place in a UN-run "safe zone" in the Tal al-Sultan neighbourhood, where thousands of Palestinians have sought shelter after Israeli forces launched a ground offensive in eastern parts of the city earlier this month.

Mohammad al-Mughayyir, a senior official at the civil defence agency, told AFP that at least 40 Palestinians were killed and at least 65 wounded in the Israeli strikes.

"We saw charred bodies and dismembered limbs … We also saw cases of amputations, wounded children, women and the elderly," Mughayyir said.

Eyewitnesses told Reuters that tents were "melting" after the bombardment, burning people alive.