A girl was born from the womb of a Palestinian woman who died along with her husband during the Israeli attack on the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, where 19 people were killed.

Gaza authorities said 13 children from the same family were among those killed in the attacks on two houses.

The condition of the baby, who weighed 1.4 kg and was born by emergency caesarean section, was stable and gradually improving, according to Mohammed Salama, the doctor treating her.

His mother, Sabreen Al-Sakani, was 30 weeks pregnant.

The baby was placed in an incubator at Rafah Hospital next to another baby who had the words “Baby of Martyr Sabreen Al-Sakani” written on his chest on duct tape.

The family had another daughter, Malak, who also died in the attack.

The baby will remain in the hospital for three to four weeks, Dr. Salama said. “After this, we will see how this girl goes and where she goes: to her family, to her aunt, uncle or grandparents. This is the greatest tragedy. Even if this girl survives, she was born an orphan.”

All 13 children were killed in an attack on a second home belonging to Abdel Aal’s family, Palestinian health officials said. Two women also died as a result of the attack.

Asked about casualties in Rafah, an Israeli military spokesman said several militant targets were attacked in the Gaza Strip, including military compounds, launch sites and armed men.

More than half of Gazan’s 2.3 million residents have flocked to Rafah, seeking refuge from the Israeli offensive that has devastated much of the Gaza Strip over the past six months.

Israel is threatening a ground offensive in the area, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Hamas militants must be eliminated to ensure an Israeli victory in the war.

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President Joe Biden called on Israel not to launch a large-scale offensive on Rafah to avoid further Palestinian civilian casualties.

Palestinian health authorities say the Israeli attack, which began after Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, has killed more than 34,000 people, leaving about 1,200 people killed and another 253 kidnapped, according to Israeli estimates.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said on Sunday (April 21) that Israeli military strikes in the Gaza Strip have killed 48 Palestinians and injured 79 others over the past 24 hours.