With efforts to secure a renewed ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza conflict at an impasse, Israeli forces launched intense bombardments on central and southern Gaza on Friday, resulting in at least 28 Palestinian casualties. Tank forces moved into the western outskirts of Rafah, escalating the violence.
U.S.-backed Qatari and Egyptian mediators have attempted to reconcile conflicting demands that are preventing a halt to hostilities. These include the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinians jailed in Israel, as well as the unrestricted flow of aid into Gaza to mitigate the humanitarian crisis. However, sources close to the negotiations report no signs of progress.
A month after Israeli forces moved into Rafah in an effort to dismantle Hamas’ remaining combat units, tanks have now reached the southwest edges of the city near the Gaza-Egypt border. Residents reported that tanks were stationed in the al-Izba district near the Mediterranean coast, while snipers had taken positions in buildings and high ground, making it dangerous for people to leave their homes due to machine gun fire.
Health officials in Gaza confirmed two deaths and several injuries in western Rafah from tank shelling. In central Gaza, medical personnel reported at least 15 fatalities from overnight bombardments. An airstrike on a house in Khan Younis, north of Rafah, killed eight people, including children. Additionally, three Palestinians were killed in a Gaza City school building, which was sheltering displaced families, due to an Israeli airstrike.
The Israeli military stated that it targeted Hamas militants operating from a container within the school premises, a rationale similar to its explanation for a previous strike on a U.N. school in al-Nuseirat, central Gaza, which resulted in 40 deaths, including 14 children. The military claimed to have killed many of the 20-30 militants hiding in the compound, where around 6,000 displaced people were seeking shelter.
Ceasefire Impasse
Israel’s military attributes Gaza’s high civilian death toll to Hamas’ strategy of using densely populated areas, schools, and hospitals as cover, an accusation Hamas denies. U.N. and humanitarian officials, on the other hand, accuse Israel of using disproportionate force, a claim Israel rejects.
On Friday, Hamas reported that militants in Deir al-Balah shelled a house with Israeli troops, resulting in casualties. Israeli helicopters were seen extracting the affected unit. The Israeli military’s latest update focused on central Gaza, claiming the elimination of “dozens” of militants and the destruction of militant infrastructure in the al-Bureij refugee camp and Deir al-Balah.
Israel maintains that peace is unattainable until Hamas is eradicated, despite significant destruction across Gaza. Hamas, however, continues to demonstrate resilience, with militants reappearing in areas previously declared secure by Israeli forces.
