Israeli forces renewed artillery shelling on the eastern areas of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, early Saturday. Intense airstrikes also targeted the eastern part of Gaza City. These actions mark a concerning escalation in the region.
Simultaneously, the Israeli military imposed a strict military cordon around several areas east of the Shuja’iya and Zeitoun neighborhoods in Gaza City. This move highlights the ongoing and repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement, which initially came into effect on October 10th.
These developments follow an announcement by the Israeli military on Friday evening that it conducted a military operation targeting Hamas operatives allegedly sheltering inside tunnels in Rafah. The military claimed to have killed six and apprehended five individuals during the operation.
The operation coincided with statements from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reiterated his refusal to allow Hamas to retain weapons in the Gaza Strip, regardless of whether an international stabilization force assumes responsibility for disarmament.
Israel, according to its statements, aims to “eliminate” Hamas fighters trapped inside tunnels in the southern and eastern parts of the Gaza Strip. They believe that dozens of fighters have already died as a result of the siege, ahead of a potential transition to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
In recent days, the Israeli military has expanded its field presence beyond the yellow line to which it retreated following the initial agreement. Troops have moved further into the eastern areas of Gaza City, altering the positions of the yellow markers to extend its control by approximately 300 meters in the streets of Shuja’iya, al-Nazzaz and Baghdad.
Reports indicate that dozens of Hamas fighters remain trapped inside tunnels in Rafah and other areas within the yellow line perimeter, amidst Israeli rejection of any proposals that would allow them to exit.
