Israeli Forces Intensify Rafah Operation, Resulting in 27 Deaths Across Gaza – Reuters

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

CAIRO (Reuters) – On Friday, Israeli forces conducted tank and air strikes in northern and central Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 27 Palestinians, according to medical sources. This escalation coincided with an advance of tanks in northwest Rafah, near the Egyptian border.

The ongoing clashes between Israeli forces and Hamas militants continue despite increased hostilities along the Lebanon-Israel border involving Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas.

Additionally, Palestinians displaced by the Israeli offensive expressed fears that their makeshift beachside camp could be flooded by rising waves.

Palestinian health officials reported that shelling from Israeli tanks claimed the lives of eight people and injured several others in the Nuseirat refugee camp, while six more were killed in an airstrike targeting a house in Gaza City. In the northern town of Beit Hanoun, an Israeli strike on a vehicle resulted in casualties among several Palestinians.

The precise number of combatants versus civilians among the casualties remains unclear.

In Rafah, where Israeli operations have been ongoing since May, tanks advanced further to the northwest, supported by airstrikes, according to residents. Reports of heavy gunfire and explosions emerged from the eastern regions of the city, as Israeli forces reportedly demolished several homes.

Hamas’ armed wing announced that its fighters were locked in intense confrontations with Israeli troops who had moved into the Tanour neighborhood of Rafah. The Israeli military has claimed that its operations in Rafah over the past weeks have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinian militants, the discovery of tunnels and explosives, and the destruction of military infrastructure.

Israel’s insistence on maintaining control over the southern border stretch between Rafah and Egypt has become a focal point in international discussions aimed at achieving a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Attempts by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to broker a truce have faced significant hurdles.

Two primary obstacles persist: Israel’s demand to retain its military presence in the Philadelphi corridor that borders Gaza and Egypt, and negotiations surrounding the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

In the southern Gaza region of Al-Mawasi, newly displaced Palestinians are increasingly worried about the threat of high waves. Some makeshift tents set up near the shoreline were flooded the previous week.

"Enough is enough. We were pushed by the occupation to the sea, believing it to be safe, only for the sea to flood and wash away some tents last week. What will happen if it happens again? Where can we go?" said Shaban, a 47-year-old electrical engineer displaced from Gaza City.

This current conflict is a continuation of the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian crisis, which escalated dramatically on October 7, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, reportedly killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages.

In the aftermath, Israeli military actions in the Hamas-controlled enclave have resulted in over 41,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the local health ministry, displacing nearly all of the 2.3 million residents and leading to a humanitarian crisis marked by accusations of genocide, which Israel vehemently denies.

Israel maintains that its objective is to eliminate Hamas, which it perceives as a significant threat to its security.