Israeli forces targeted Rafah in Gaza on Friday, resulting in 25 Palestinian deaths, as troops engaged in close-quarters combat with Hamas.
The assault concentrated on Rafah, a city on the Egypt border, which Israel has besieged since early May. Tanks advanced into the city’s western and northern sectors, having already taken the eastern, southern, and central areas.
Artillery from planes, tanks, and naval ships increased the exodus from Rafah, which had sheltered over a million displaced persons, now largely relocated. The Gaza health ministry reported 25 fatalities in western Rafah’s Mawasi district, with a tank shell striking a tent of displaced families. An Israeli military statement noted an ongoing review of the incident, stating preliminary findings showed no strikes by Israeli forces in Al-Mawasi’s Humanitarian Area.
The military disclosed that its forces had executed “precise, intelligence-based” operations in Rafah, engaging in combat and uncovering Hamas tunnels. Over the past week, forces struck a university used as a Hamas base, killing multiple operatives and seizing weapons. In Nusseirat, central Gaza, the military killed numerous Hamas fighters and discovered a mortar and military equipment cache.
Rafah’s assault escalated over two days, with continuous explosions and gunfire. Hatem, a resident, described severe bombardment by drones, planes, tanks, and naval vessels in western Rafah, indicating an intense push to control the city.
Now over eight months old, the conflict has shifted focus to Rafah and Deir al-Balah. Rafah’s mayor, Ahmed Al-Sofi, declared the city a zone of military operations, facing a humanitarian crisis with no operational medical facilities and a severe shortage of food and water.
In Khan Younis, a nearby Israeli airstrike killed three, including a father and son. Concurrently, Israeli forces intensified operations in Gaza City’s northern suburbs, where they clashed with Hamas fighters. An airstrike on a Gaza City municipal building killed five, including four workers. Another strike in the Beach camp claimed at least seven lives.
Palestinian health officials confirmed 45 deaths from Friday’s strikes, with the International Committee of the Red Cross reporting damage to its Gaza office from nearby heavy-calibre fire.
Israel’s extensive ground and air campaign began after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing approximately 1,200 and taking over 250 hostages. The offensive has devastated Gaza, killing over 37,400 and displacing nearly all its inhabitants, as reported by Palestinian authorities.
The United Nations emphasized Israel’s duty as the occupying power to ensure public order and facilitate humanitarian aid in Gaza amidst escalating famine concerns.
