Israeli military airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday claimed the lives of at least 22 Palestinians, according to local medical sources, as Israeli forces engaged in fierce battles with Hamas-led fighters near the city of Rafah, close to the border with Egypt. The escalation in Gaza occurred alongside increasing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, across Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, heightening fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Israeli tanks reportedly advanced into northern and western areas of Rafah, facing resistance from fighters belonging to both Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Palestinian militant groups stated that their forces were using anti-tank rockets, planted bombs, and mortar fire to combat the Israeli army. Residents in Rafah reported that Israeli forces had destroyed several homes in the city’s eastern and central districts.
Palestinian health officials confirmed that the 22 casualties resulted from Israeli airstrikes in the central and southern parts of Gaza. In one particularly devastating strike in Nuseirat, an area known for its historic refugee camps, six Palestinians were killed, including three women. The Israeli military has not yet issued a statement on the latest strikes.
The conflict, which has ravaged Gaza for nearly a year, has displaced most of the territory’s 2.3 million residents as relentless Israeli airstrikes and artillery bombardments have turned large portions of the enclave into rubble. According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 41,400 Palestinians have lost their lives since the start of Israel’s military campaign.
The ongoing war, the deadliest in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, was triggered on October 7 when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
In Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden remains committed to brokering a ceasefire and securing the release of hostages held by Hamas. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, speaking to MSNBC, reiterated that Biden is also focused on de-escalating tensions on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, where clashes with Hezbollah have intensified.
“He absolutely hasn’t given up,” Sullivan said, ahead of Biden’s scheduled address to the UN General Assembly.
