The airstrikes come as Palestinians in Rafah prepare for an offensive that aid agencies fear will cause mass casualties.
Israel has carried out airstrikes in Rafah in southern Gaza, killing dozens, according to health officials, as Palestinians prepare for a major offensive against the densely populated city.
There were conflicting reports on the death toll following the pre-dawn attacks on Monday.
The AFP news agency reported that the attacks killed 52 people, while Reuters reported that 37 had died. Both outlets cited health officials in Gaza.
The Israeli strikes hit 14 houses and three mosques in Rafah, according to Palestinian officials.
The Israeli military said it had attacked several “terrorist targets” in the Shaboura district of Rafah and that the attacks had ended.
Israel's military also said it had rescued two captives captured by Hamas in an overnight operation in Rafah.
Military officials said the captives, named Fernando Simón Marman and Louis Har, were in good condition.
Hamas has warned that an Israeli ground attack on Rafah would “blow up” negotiations to free the group's remaining captives in Gaza.
The attacks on Rafah come as Israel prepares to launch a major offensive that aid agencies fear will result in massive civilian casualties in the last relatively safe area of Gaza.
About 1.4 million Palestinians, or more than half of Gaza's population, have flocked to Rafah to escape Israeli bombardment, which has reduced much of the rest of the enclave to ruins.
US President Joe Biden on Sunday warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to launch an offensive against Rafah without a “credible and executable plan” to ensure the safety of people sheltered in the city.
Netanyahu has promised “safe passage” for Palestinians in Rafah, but a lack of clarity over evacuation plans has raised fears they could be pushed to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, stoking tensions with Cairo.
Netanyahu told Fox News on Sunday that “there is a lot of space” north of Rafah and that is “where we are going to direct them,” without specifying which part of Gaza would be safe to evacuate to.
