CAIRO. Israeli tanks advanced to the edge of the Yibna neighborhood in Rafah, a densely populated district in the heart of Gaza’s southern city in a night marked by heavy bombardment. This escalation is part of Israel’s ongoing offensive launched earlier this month.
The assault on Rafah, located on Gaza’s southern edge, has triggered a massive displacement, with hundreds of thousands fleeing the city, which had been a refuge for nearly half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. The offensive has also severed key access routes for humanitarian aid, sparking international concerns over potential mass casualties and a looming famine.
Israel has justified its actions as necessary to eliminate the remaining Hamas battalions it believes are entrenched in Rafah. Since early May, Israeli forces have been slowly advancing into the eastern outskirts of the city.
According to local residents and militants, Israeli tanks have now positioned themselves further west along the southern border fence with Egypt, near the Yibna neighborhood. While they have not yet penetrated the district, intense fighting continues in the area.
Hamas’s armed wing reported that it struck two Israeli armored troop carriers with anti-tank rockets near a gate along the border fence.
Residents described a night of relentless Israeli firepower. “There has been no stopping of Israeli fire all night, from drones, helicopters, warplanes, and tanks,” said one resident, who requested anonymity for safety reasons. He added, “Tanks made a limited push southeast, still limited but they have advanced under heavy fire all night,” communicating via a chat app.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the operations in Rafah. However, the military confirmed that it had killed several fighters in targeted operations in Khan Younis, north of Rafah, and in northern Gaza, where Israeli troops have been conducting a major operation.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) estimated that over 800,000 people had fled Rafah since the start of the Israeli offensive. This displacement persists despite international appeals for restraint.
The Israeli military stated that it had killed Ahmed Yasser Alkara, a key Hamas operative, along with two other militants in Khan Younis. “Alkara took part in the Oct. 7 massacre in communities in southern Israel and was a significant anti-tank missile operative who carried out attacks on IDF troops during the war,” the military said. They also reported killing five militants operating from within a school.
In the central Gaza town of Zawayda, an Israeli airstrike resulted in the deaths of seven people in one house, according to medical sources.
In Jabalia, Gaza’s largest historical refugee camp, Israeli forces have continued their ground offensive for two weeks alongside the Rafah assault. Health officials and residents report extensive destruction of residential districts and numerous fatalities. Israel maintains that its actions are necessary to prevent Hamas from re-establishing control in areas previously cleared by Israeli forces in January.
