Hamas terrorists have regrouped in other parts of Gaza in the face of Israeli advances in Rafah

Israeli forces fought against Palestinian Hamas terrorists on Sunday In many parts of the Gaza StripIncluding pockets of the north that the army destroyed months ago to reintegrate.

Israel has described the southern city of Rafah as Hamas’s last stronghold and says it must occupy it to win. Among their objectives is to eliminate the terrorist group and rescue dozens of hostages. Limited activity in the city has expanded in recent days, forcing 300,000 people to evacuate.

On Sunday, Hamas boasted of attacks on Israeli forces in Rafah and near Gaza City.

In this context, Gaza has been left without a functional government, which has disrupted public order and allowed Hamas to regroup even in the most affected areas.

Palestinians reported heavy Israeli shelling overnight on the urban refugee camp of Jabalia and other parts of the northern Gaza Strip, which has suffered widespread destruction and has been virtually isolated by Israeli forces for months.

Residents said Israeli artillery and aircraft struck the countryside east of Gaza City and the Zeytown area, where troops have been battling Palestinian terrorists for a week. The military has asked tens of thousands of people They move to nearby areas to avoid being exposed in the middle of conflicts.

Israeli troops have been battling militants in the city since the army seized a nearby border crossing with Egypt last week.

Rear Admiral Daniel HagariA top Israeli military spokesman said troops were fighting in all parts of Gaza. “In areas where we have not yet operated and where we will operate.”

In addition to Jabaliya and Zaytoun, he pointed out, Troops were active in Beit Lahia and Beit HanounCities near Gaza’s northern border with Israel came under heavy bombardment in the first days of the war.

Hamas’ military wing said it shelled Israeli special forces east of Jabalia and fired mortars at troops and vehicles entering through the Rafah crossing.

For their part, five Israeli soldiers were killed in Zeytoun on Friday Palestinian terrorists have launched 14 rockets towards Beersheba, Israel that night Another overnight rocket damaged a house in the Israeli city of Ashkelon, the military said on Sunday.

The United Nations Palestine Refugee Agency, Gaza’s main aid provider, has said 300,000 people have fled Rafah since it began operations there. Most were heading to the nearby town of Khan Younis and Mawasi, a crowded tent camp on the coast where 450,000 people already live precariously.

Rafah was home to 1.3 million Palestinians before Israel’s invasionMost of them had fled from other parts of the territory.

Israel has now evacuated the eastern third of Rafah, and Hagari said dozens of terrorists had been killed as “targeted operations continued”. The United Nations warned that a full-scale invasion of Rafah would further undermine humanitarian efforts and trigger civilian deaths.

Rafah is on the border with Egypt, near key aid entry points already affected. Israeli troops seize the Gaza section of the Rafah crossing and are forced to close it. According to state television, Egypt has refused to coordinate with Israel on providing aid for the crossing because of “unacceptable Israeli escalation.” Al CairoIt quoted an unidentified official.

US President Joe Biden has said he will not supply Israel with assault weapons for use in Rafah. However, the president promised this Saturday that a ceasefire in Gaza would be possible “tomorrow” if Hamas terrorists released hostages. “There will be a ceasefire tomorrow if Hamas releases the hostages,” the US president said at a fundraiser at the home of a former Microsoft executive in suburban Seattle, after avoiding the topic at three similar events. Friday.

Hamas and other militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 250 hostages. They still hold 100 people and the remains of over 30.

Israel launched a military offensive by land, sea and air in response to the heinous terrorist attack. The army says it has killed more than 13,000 Palestinian terrorists so far.

(With information from AP)