Overnight into Sunday, Israeli airstrikes in the southern Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of at least 19 Palestinians, including a prominent Hamas political leader, as well as several women and children. This escalation comes as the Israeli military has issued evacuation orders for parts of the city of Rafah, located near the Egyptian border. The military announced plans to conduct operations in the Tel Sultan area of Rafah, raising concerns about renewed ground operations following previous offensives that began in May.
The Israeli military has instructed civilians to evacuate on foot along a designated route to the Mawasi area. Col. Avichay Adraee, a military spokesman, emphasized that remaining in camps, tents, or homes in Tel al-Sultan poses a significant threat to residents' safety. The evacuation order raises questions about the timing and scope of Israeli military actions, particularly in light of ongoing tensions following the recent ceasefire.
Among those killed in the strikes was Salah Bardawil, a senior member of Hamas' political bureau and the Palestinian parliament. Bardawil's death, along with that of his wife, highlights the severe toll the conflict is taking on political figures and their families. Hospitals in southern Gaza reported receiving the bodies of 17 individuals, including several women and children, although Bardawil and his wife were not included in this count. The European Hospital indicated that five children and their parents were among the victims of a separate strike in Khan Younis.
Additionally, the Kuwaiti Hospital reported the arrival of a woman and child who were killed in another airstrike. The Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service has raised alarms about Israeli forces obstructing ambulance operations in Rafah, resulting in injuries to multiple medics attempting to provide aid.
The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which began in January, came to an end last week following a series of Israeli airstrikes that reportedly killed hundreds of Palestinians. This ceasefire had been established to halt a 15-month long conflict triggered by Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. During this truce, 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others were released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Negotiations were anticipated to commence in early February regarding the next phase of the truce, which aimed to secure the release of the remaining 59 hostages, including 35 believed to be deceased, in exchange for additional Palestinian prisoners. However, these discussions never materialized, with Israel withdrawing from the ceasefire agreement after Hamas declined proposals from Israeli and U.S. officials to facilitate further hostage releases.
Hamas' initial attack on October 7 resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and the abduction of 251 hostages. Although many captives have since been released or recovered, Israeli military operations have resulted in nearly 50,000 Palestinian casualties, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. This ongoing violence has drawn international attention and concern.
In related developments, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, allies of Hamas, launched a missile targeting Israel. Fortunately, the Israeli military successfully intercepted the projectile, and there were no reported casualties or damage from this incident.
The situation in Gaza remains critical, with ongoing military actions and humanitarian concerns escalating as the conflict continues to unfold.
