Israeli tanks have pushed further into the western part of Rafah, amidst a night of intense bombardment from air, ground, and sea, causing numerous families to evacuate their homes and tents in the darkness, according to residents on Thursday.
Residents reported that Israeli forces advanced towards the Al-Mawasi area of Rafah near the beach, which is recognized as a humanitarian zone in all official announcements and maps released by the Israeli army since the start of the Rafah offensive in May. The Israeli military, however, denied carrying out any attacks within the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone in a statement. Israel stated that its operation was aimed at eliminating Hamas' remaining combat units in Rafah, a city that was home to over a million people before the recent advancement.
The majority of the population has now relocated northwards to Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza Strip. The Israeli military confirmed that it was conducting "intelligence-based, targeted operations" in Rafah, noting that in the previous day, weapons were discovered and Palestinian gunmen were eliminated in close combat.
In the last 24 hours, the military disclosed that it had targeted 45 sites across the Gaza Strip from the air, including military installations, militant groups, rocket launchers, and tunnel entrances. Israel has made it clear that peace negotiations will not resume until Hamas is completely removed, leaving much of Gaza in ruins. Despite this, Hamas has shown resilience, with militants reappearing to engage in combat in areas where Israeli forces had previously claimed victory and withdrawn.
CEASEFIRE PROPOSAL UPDATE
The introduction of a new ceasefire proposal by the United States has been met with mixed reactions from the group. While they welcome the proposal, they have made certain amendments to ensure that the agreement will effectively bring an end to the war. However, Israel continues to reject the demand for an end to the war, describing Hamas's response to the peace proposal as a complete rejection.
Despite these challenges, mediators from Qatar and Egypt, with the support of the United States, are still actively working towards securing an agreement. Previous attempts to arrange a ceasefire have been unsuccessful since the brief week-long truce in November. Hamas remains firm in their stance, insisting on a permanent end to the war and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The war was initiated by Hamas when militants breached the Israeli blockade in Gaza and launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7th. According to Israeli reports, this attack resulted in the death of approximately 1,200 people and the capture of over 250 hostages who were taken back to Gaza. In response, Israel launched an invasion and bombardment of Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 37,000 people, as reported by the territory's health ministry. The situation has also led to the displacement of a significant portion of the population, with thousands feared to be buried under rubble.
