Israeli forces killed at least 14 Palestinians in tank and airstrikes across northern and central Gaza on Friday, according to medical sources. The attacks occurred as tanks pushed deeper into northwest Rafah, near the Egyptian border.
While Israeli-Hamas fighting in Gaza continued, clashes along the Lebanon-Israel border involving Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, also escalated. Meanwhile, some Palestinians displaced by the conflict expressed fears that their temporary seaside camp could be flooded by high waves.
Palestinian health officials reported that shelling from Israeli tanks killed eight people and injured several more in the Nuseirat refugee camp, located in central Gaza. Six additional people were killed in an airstrike on a house in Gaza City.
In Beit Hanoun, a town in northern Gaza, an Israeli strike on a car killed and injured several individuals, although the exact number of combatants versus civilians among the casualties was unclear.
In southern Rafah, Israeli tanks advanced further northwest, supported by aircraft, as heavy gunfire and explosions were heard, according to residents. Israeli forces demolished several homes in the area, with Hamas media confirming the destruction.
Hamas’ armed wing claimed that its fighters were engaged in fierce battles with Israeli troops in the Tanour neighborhood of Rafah. The Israeli military has stated that its operations in Rafah in recent weeks have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinian militants, the discovery of tunnels and explosives, and the destruction of Hamas’ military infrastructure.
A major obstacle in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas has been Israel's insistence on maintaining control over the southern border between Rafah and Egypt. The U.S., Qatar, and Egypt have been mediating talks for months, but challenges remain, including Israel's control of the Philadelphi Corridor and the terms of a potential prisoner exchange.
In southern Gaza’s Al-Mawasi area, displaced Palestinians face a new challenge as rising waves threaten their makeshift beach camps. Some tents were flooded last week, adding to their fears of where to go next. “We were pushed by the occupation to the sea, and now the sea is pushing us out,” said Shaban, 47, an engineer displaced from Gaza City.
This latest escalation in the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on October 7, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military response in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 41,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million people. The conflict has sparked accusations of genocide at the World Court, which Israel denies, stating its goal is to eliminate Hamas, a group it considers a threat to its existence.
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