Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad launched a barrage of rockets into Israel on Monday, demonstrating their continued capability after nearly nine months of conflict. The attack came as Israeli forces advanced deeper into parts of Gaza, particularly in Khan Younis and Rafah. The Israeli military reported no casualties from the rocket fire and claimed to have killed several militants in combat.
Amid the escalation, residents in eastern Khan Younis reported receiving evacuation orders from Israeli authorities. Audio messages from Israeli phone numbers instructed people to "evacuate immediately to the humanitarian zone" for their safety. This development suggests a potential return of Israeli forces to areas they had previously left, intensifying concerns for civilian safety in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel is nearing its goal of eliminating Hamas' military capabilities, with less intense operations to follow. However, violence also flared in the West Bank, where two Palestinians were reportedly killed during an Israeli operation in Tulkarm. The ongoing conflict, which began with Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, has resulted in nearly 38,000 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza's health ministry, while Israel reports 1,200 deaths from the initial attack and 317 soldiers killed in Gaza.
Ceasefire efforts, backed by Arab mediators and the United States, have stalled due to conflicting demands from Hamas and Israel. In a related development, Israel released 54 Palestinians detained during the war, including Mohammad Abu Selmeyah, the former director of Al Shifa Hospital, who claimed he was subjected to severe torture during his detention. Israel has previously stated it is investigating allegations of abuse in its military-run detention camps.
Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo; Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem and Clauda Tanios in Dubai; Editing by Timothy Heritage, William Maclean for REUTERS