CAIRO/GAZA – Israeli forces have intensified their operations, advancing deeper into the Shejaia neighborhood of northern Gaza and pushing further into western and central Rafah in the south. The latest offensive has resulted in the deaths of at least six Palestinians and the destruction of several homes, according to local residents.
Israeli tanks, which re-entered Shejaia four days ago, have been firing shells at numerous houses, trapping families inside. This escalation follows a statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a weekly cabinet meeting, where he reiterated his commitment to achieving victory against Hamas.
“We are committed to fighting until we achieve all of our objectives: Eliminating Hamas, returning all of our hostages, ensuring that Gaza never again constitutes a threat to Israel, and returning our residents securely to their homes in the south and the north,” Netanyahu said.
In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, an Israeli strike near Tulkarm killed one man and wounded five others, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The deceased was identified as a member of the militant group Islamic Jihad. The Israeli military has not commented on the incident.
Amid Netanyahu’s assertions, Hamas’s armed wing released a video claiming to show the manufacturing of weapons, demonstrating their ongoing resistance. The video, which has not been independently verified, shows fighters preparing anti-tank rocket warheads.
The Israeli military reported that forces in Shejaia had killed several Palestinian gunmen and discovered military infrastructure inside a United Nations school, along with numerous weapons and valuable intelligence documents.
On Saturday, the Israeli military announced the deaths of two Israeli soldiers in northern Gaza. In another operation in Shejaia, the military claimed to have discovered a “terrorist war room” at a clinic, accusing Hamas of using civilian structures for military purposes. Hamas denies these allegations.
Hamas and the allied Islamic Jihad have reported intense fighting in both Shejaia and Rafah, with their fighters allegedly launching anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs at Israeli forces.
Despite more than eight months of conflict, militants continue to launch attacks on Israeli forces in areas the Israeli army previously claimed to control.
Stalled Ceasefire Efforts
Efforts by Arab mediators, supported by the United States, to broker a ceasefire have stalled. Hamas insists any agreement must end the war and include a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel is only willing to consider temporary pauses in fighting until Hamas is eradicated.
The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has resulted in nearly 38,000 deaths, according to the Gaza health ministry, with many of the casualties being civilians. Over 300 Israeli soldiers have also been killed in the conflict.
On Sunday, Israeli tanks advanced further into various districts of Rafah, near the Egyptian border. Medics reported that six members of the Zurub family were killed in an Israeli strike on a house in Shaboura. The bodies were transported to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where family members gathered to mourn.
Residents reported that the Israeli army had burned the Al-Awda mosque in central Rafah, a significant landmark in the city. Israel has stated that its military operations in Rafah aim to eliminate the last armed battalions of Hamas.
