At least 25 Gazans died this morning in Israeli bombings on Rafahsouthern end of the Gaza Strip where more than a million displaced people live, and the Israeli ground troops are expected to advance there soon.
“Medical sources reported that 25 citizens were killed and others injured when the occupation bombed houses in the center and north of Rafah since last night”indicated the official Palestinian agency Wafa.
LEARN MORE: The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza exceeds 28,000 after 127 days of war
The agency also noted that Israeli warships, stationed in the Mediterranean, “are firing intensely” against the coast of the Rafah governorate.
Israel announced yesterday the development of a plan to expand its military offensive to Rafahon the border with Egypt, although it assures that the deployment will include the prior evacuation of civilians.
“It is impossible to achieve the war goal of eliminating Hamas and leaving four battalions in Rafah”indicates a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel.
Israeli attacks on Rafahwhere 1.3 million Palestinians survive in overcrowded conditions – five times their usual population – have increased in recent days and with it the fear of a ground offensive by the Israeli Army in this area, an option that is now safe after the announcement from yesterday.
Waiting for the land incursion to extend to RafahIsrael intensifies its military operations in Khan Yunis, a Hamas stronghold in the south of the Strip where it has been on an offensive in the area for more than two months, which is now concentrated in the western part of the city.
There, Israeli forces have been under siege for 20 days on the two main hospitals, Naser and Al Amalwhere yesterday Israeli soldiers stormed inside.
“The occupation forces arrested eight members of the association’s staff in the Al Amal Hospitalincluding four doctors, as well as four wounded and five patient companions,” reported the Palestinian Red Crescent, which manages that medical center.
According to the organization, Israeli soldiers stormed the hospital for about ten hours, during which “They searched the hospital, “They destroyed some devices, equipment and furniture, detained staff, interrogated them, beat and insulted them, and prevented staff and patients’ companions from drinking water or using the bathroom.”
The Red Crescent also accused the Israeli Army of stealing money from the organization, employees, patients and companions; in addition to confiscating the computers and wireless communication devices of the rescue teams, which are the only reliable means of communication in the face of the continuous interruption of communications in the governorate of Jan Yunis.
The surroundings of Al Amal hospital They have been the scene of attacks and combats in recent days, which even prevented the movement of ambulances to transport the wounded; and that forced the evacuation of more than 8,000 Gazans who were evacuated in the building.
A similar situation exists at the Naser hospital, where “occupation forces are firing intensely at the doors, buildings and patios of the medical complex,” the Gaza Ministry of Health, controlled by Hamas, said today.
“One martyr and several injuries have been confirmed after an intense firefight inside the Nasser medical complex, where medical teams cannot move between buildings”reported the Ministry spokesperson, Ashraf al Qudra.
The hospital houses about 10,000 displaced, 300 medical and 450 wounded and sick.
Almost 28,000 Gazans have died in more than 4 months of warin addition to some 8,000 missing bodies under the rubble, and some 67,500 were injured, according to the Strip’s Health Ministry.
