1 hour ago
By David Gritten, BBC News
EPA
There has been intense fighting between Palestinian armed groups and Israeli forces in Gaza City’s Shejaiya district
Israel’s military reports that Palestinian armed groups in Gaza have fired approximately 20 rockets towards Israeli border communities – the most significant attack in months.
Several of the rockets were intercepted, while others landed in southern Israel without causing any injuries. The military responded with artillery fire.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) claimed responsibility for the attack, citing Israeli “crimes” as the reason.
This comes as Israel issued a new evacuation order for parts of the Khan Younis area in southern Gaza.
Residents in the area first received audio messages instructing them to leave, followed by a message in Arabic on social media from the Israeli military. Witnesses reported many people fleeing the area.
Elsewhere, fierce fighting continued in Shejaiya for the fifth consecutive day, resulting in the death of an Israeli soldier in the southern Rafah area.
Israeli Prime Minister stated on Sunday that their troops were engaged in a challenging battle across the Palestinian territory.
The Israeli military initiated a campaign to dismantle Hamas following a major attack on southern Israel on October 7, resulting in 1,200 casualties and 251 hostages.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 37,900 people have died in Gaza since then, with 23 fatalities in the past 24 hours.
Reuters
The Israeli military confirmed the death of two soldiers in combat in northern Gaza on Friday.
On Monday morning, sirens sounded in Israeli communities near the Gaza border, most of which had been evacuated since the October 7 attack.
The Eshkol Regional Council reported that 18 rockets were launched towards their areas, with most landing in open spaces. One rocket fell near the Kibbutz Holit’s fence, and another was intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system.
According to The Times of Israel, Monday’s barrage was the most significant from Gaza since January when at least 25 rockets targeted Netivot.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the recent rocket-fire originated from the southern Khan Younis area, and their artillery targeted the sources.
Wafa, a Palestinian news agency, reported that artillery strikes on Monday led to the death of one civilian and injuries to several others in Khuzaa town, southeast of Khan Younis.
Israeli warplanes also targeted Shejaiya in the east of Gaza City and an area north of Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, according to the report.
Hamas’s military wing claimed responsibility for targeting two Israeli tanks with explosive devices in Shejaiya.
The IDF reported “eliminating numerous terrorists in close-quarters encounters and locating large quantities of weapons” during raids in Shejaiya. Air strikes killed approximately 20 others and destroyed weapons manufacturing and storage facilities in the area.
A battle has been ongoing since Thursday when Israeli troops reentered the area based on intelligence indicating the presence of terrorists and their infrastructure.
Residents described bodies on the streets from the assault, while the IDF confirmed the death of two soldiers in combat in northern Gaza.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) indicated that up to 80,000 people in Shejaiya and surrounding areas were advised by the IDF to evacuate south but were forced westward due to restrictions at Israeli checkpoints in Wadi Gaza.
A woman from the Tuffah district described the destruction caused by the Israeli army in the neighborhood, leading to hunger, fear, displacement, and total devastation.
AFP
UN officials warned of the deteriorating humanitarian situation for Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Palestinian fighters regrouped in several northern areas that were targeted in the initial Israeli ground offensive.
Rafah has been a focal point since early May, with the IDF claiming to have weakened three out of four Hamas battalions in the city.
Residents in the city reported Israeli tanks advancing further into western and central areas on Monday, following their movement within 1km of the Mediterranean coast the previous day.
The IDF announced the death of one of its soldiers in combat in southern Gaza on Monday.
Hamas claimed that their fighters detonated a booby-trapped house in Rafah after luring Israeli troops inside.
Additionally, the head of al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City was released after seven months in Israeli detention, alleging torture during his captivity. Israel niega maltratar a los detenidos
El domingo, el Primer Ministro Benjamin Netanyahu dijo en una reunión de gabinete que las fuerzas israelíes estaban operando “en todas partes en la Franja de Gaza” y matando “docenas de terroristas” todos los días.
“Esta es una lucha difícil que se libra sobre el terreno, a veces en combate cuerpo a cuerpo, y también bajo tierra”, advirtió.
“Estamos comprometidos a luchar hasta lograr todos nuestros objetivos: eliminar a Hamas, devolver a todos nuestros rehenes, asegurar que Gaza nunca más represente una amenaza para Israel y devolver a nuestros residentes de manera segura a sus hogares”, agregó.
El director de planificación de Unrwa, Sam Rose, dijo a la BBC desde el campamento de Nuseirat que la situación humanitaria se estaba volviendo cada vez más desesperada para los 2.2 millones de habitantes de Gaza, tres cuartas partes de los cuales están desplazados.
“La gente necesita agua, la gente necesita atención médica. Está haciendo calor aquí, son 35 grados [Celsius], el hedor de los desechos, la falta de instalaciones de gestión de residuos sólidos, la zona se está convirtiendo en un vertedero [de basura]”, dijo.
“El combustible no está llegando en cantidades adecuadas a través de los puntos de cruce. Sin eso, los incubadoras no pueden funcionar, los pozos de agua no pueden funcionar… Hacer las cosas más simples es una verdadera lucha para todos”.