Battles Raging in Rafah, Jabalia As Israeli Military Intensifies Attacks in Gaza

The Israeli war has led to numerous casualties and significant destruction, prompting concerns about the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli fighter jets continue to carry out airstrikes in Jabalia and the Rafah district, while ground battles persist in the streets of the Jabalia refugee camp and the eastern side of Rafah, including the Jnaina and Salam neighborhoods. The Israeli violence has resulted in a mounting death toll, with ten Palestinians killed in Gaza City's Sabra neighborhood, and five others in Bureij refugee camp.

Amid the onslaught, critical infrastructure, such as electricity generators at the European Hospital near Rafah, has ceased operation due to fuel shortages, exacerbating the medical crisis. The Palestine Red Crescent Society has warned of deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza, attributing the situation to Israel's closure of border crossings, hindering the entry of aid and fuel.

As the conflict intensifies, the Israeli military has ordered further evacuations in northern Gaza, exacerbating the displacement crisis. Palestinian residents in Rafah have reported witnessing airstrikes and explosions, as Israeli tanks and troops advance deeper into the territory.

Reports of civilian casualties continue to emerge, including four people killed and nine injured in an attack on a residential apartment in Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. Additionally, a mother and her child lost their lives in a separate assault in the Yarmourk area. The violence has extended to Old Gaza Street in Jabalia, where an Israeli attack drone killed one Palestinian and injured two others.

Israeli airstrikes have targeted various locations overnight, including Remal and Zeitoun neighborhoods in Gaza City, and the Nuseirat and Yaban refugee camps.

Meanwhile, the US State Department is moving forward with a significant weapons aid package to Israel, valued at over $1 billion. The proposed package includes tank ammunition, tactical vehicles, and mortar rounds. This development follows US President Joe Biden's recent decision to delay a shipment of bombs amid concerns over civilian casualties.

The escalating violence has resulted in the highest death toll in many weeks, with at least 82 Palestinians killed in the past 24 hours. The mass exodus from Rafah, with over 450,000 Palestinians fleeing the city and another 100,000 evacuating the north, underscores the severity of the crisis.

Since October 7, Israeli attacks on Gaza have claimed the lives of at least 35,173 people, with 79,061 others wounded.