Gaza, Jun 29 (IANS): At least 11 Palestinians were killed by an Israeli attack on tents housing displaced individuals in western Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, Palestinian security and medical sources said.

The Israeli army fired artillery shells and bullets at the tents in the Al-Mawasi area, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.

The shelling began on Thursday overnight following the advancement of Israeli tanks near the area, security sources told Xinhua.

The bombing operations led to a state of panic and fear among the displaced people, who left their tents and fled towards the areas in southwest of Khan Younis, according to local sources and eyewitnesses.

Medical sources told Xinhua that 11 Palestinians were killed and more than 40 others sustained varying injuries as a result of the bombing, all of whom were transferred to the hospital.

Al-Mawasi is an open sandy area on the seashore extending from the southwest of the city of Deir al-Balah in the centre of the Gaza Strip through western Khan Younis to the west of Rafah.

The area lacks infrastructure, sewage networks, electricity lines, communications networks, and the Internet, leading to difficult living conditions for the displaced individuals residing there.