Israeli tanks and warplanes intensified their assaults on central and southern Gaza, killing at least 23 Palestinians overnight, according to local medics. Mediators from Qatar and Egypt, backed by the United States, have been striving to broker a ceasefire, secure the release of hostages on both sides, and facilitate humanitarian aid. However, sources close to the negotiations report no significant progress.
In Rafah, Israeli tanks advanced westward near the Egyptian border, clashing with Hamas-led militants. Tank shelling in western Rafah resulted in the deaths of two Palestinians and injuries to several others. Central Gaza also witnessed severe overnight assaults, with Palestinian medics reporting at least 15 fatalities.
Residents recounted that armoured forces, controlling Rafah’s border, conducted multiple raids into the city centre and west, surprising and wounding civilians trapped in their homes. Tanks were also seen in Al-Izba, an area close to the Mediterranean coast.
“I think the occupation forces are trying to reach the beach area of Rafah. The raids and the bombing overnight were tactical, they entered under heavy fire and then retreated,” one resident told Reuters. “It was one of the worst nights; some people were wounded inside their homes before being evacuated this morning.”
Later on Friday, an Israeli airstrike on a house in Khan Younis, north of Rafah, killed six people and wounded several, including children. Israeli forces also operated inside the Al-Bureij camp in central Gaza, with heavy bombardment reported in al-Maghazi, al-Nuseirat, and Deir al-Balah.
Militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, claimed responsibility for attacks on Israeli forces in several areas. The Israeli military reported killing “dozens” of militants, discovering more tunnels, and destroying militant infrastructure in ongoing operations in al-Bureij and Deir al-Balah.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with significant destruction and displacement. A targeted Israeli airstrike on a Gaza school, used as a shelter by 6,000 displaced people, resulted in at least 40 deaths, including women and children, according to a Hamas official. The U.N. condemned the incident as another example of the severe civilian toll in Gaza.
Hamas initiated the conflict on October 7th by attacking southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages. Israel’s subsequent invasion and bombardment have resulted in over 36,000 deaths in Gaza, with thousands more feared buried under rubble.
Despite repeated efforts, a lasting ceasefire remains elusive. Hamas demands a permanent end to the conflict and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel insists on only temporary pauses until Hamas is eradicated and Gaza no longer poses a security threat.
“We have shown all the flexibility needed to reach a deal, but the Israeli occupation continues to refuse any commitment to end the aggression and pull its forces from the Gaza Strip,” a Hamas official stated. “The occupation and the Americans are to blame for the absence of a deal so far because they don’t want this war on our people to end.”
With Inputs From Reuters
