Mourners attend the funeral of Palestinian Hani Al-Jaafarwi, the director of ambulance and emergency services at the ministry of health, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Al-Daraj clinic, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Gaza City. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
On Monday, Israeli air strikes on aid supply areas in Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least 11 Palestinians, according to medical sources. These strikes occurred as Israeli tanks advanced further into the southern city of Rafah and re-engaged in the northern areas previously subdued.
One air strike targeted a food distribution center in Gaza City, near the Shati historic refugee camp, killing three individuals. Another strike near Bani Suhaila town in the southern Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of at least eight people, including guards accompanying aid trucks. Israel has not commented on these incidents but denies targeting aid efforts, accusing militants of endangering civilians by operating within their vicinity.
Overnight, an Israeli air strike on a medical clinic in Gaza City claimed the life of Hani al-Jaafarawi, the director of Gaza’s Ambulance and Emergency Department, as reported by the enclave’s health ministry. The Israeli military stated that the strike targeted Mohammad Salah, a senior Hamas armed commander responsible for developing the group’s weaponry. The health ministry reported that al-Jaafarawi’s death brought the number of medical staff killed by Israeli fire since October 7 to 500, with an additional 300 detained.
Efforts to mediate a ceasefire, supported by the United States, have yet to succeed eight months into the conflict. Hamas insists that any agreement must end the war, while Israel is only willing to consider temporary pauses in fighting until Hamas is eradicated. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his commitment to a proposed ceasefire and hostage deal endorsed by U.S. President Joe Biden in May. However, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel will not cease its military operations until Hamas is eliminated.
In Rafah, Israeli forces have expanded their control to the western and northern parts of the city, following previous advances in the eastern, southern, and central areas. Residents described heavy fighting, with Israeli tanks reaching the edge of the Mawasi displaced persons’ camp in northwest Rafah, prompting many families to flee northward to Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah.
The Israeli military reported continued “intelligence-based targeted operations” in Rafah, locating weapons and rocket launchers, and eliminating militants posing threats. In the north of Gaza, where Israeli forces had previously completed operations, tanks re-entered Gaza City’s Zeitoun suburb, engaging in heavy bombardment.
In Deir al-Balah, now a refuge for many displaced Gazans, medical personnel are addressing malnutrition and widespread hunger. Muaamar Said, a doctor with the International Medical Corps, highlighted the challenges faced by displaced communities lacking access to clean water and adequate food supplies.
The Israeli offensive in Gaza began following an attack by Hamas-led militants on southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli casualties and over 250 hostages taken. In retaliation, the Israeli military campaign has caused nearly 37,600 Palestinian fatalities, according to health authorities in Gaza, and has left the region in ruins.
Netanyahu suggested that the intense phase of fighting against Hamas could conclude “very soon,” allowing Israeli forces to shift focus to the north. He indicated potential military action against Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement, which has launched strikes on the border in solidarity with the Palestinians.
Netanyahu’s comments in a recent interview with Israel’s Channel 14, his first since the conflict began, suggest that ongoing ceasefire negotiations are being used as a delaying tactic while combat operations continue. Ezzat El-Reshiq, a senior Hamas political official in exile, echoed this sentiment in a statement.
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