Last Hamas bastion

Israeli tanks to advance into Rafah

Tanks are reportedly already rolling in the districts of Al-Jeneina, Al-Salam and Al-Brasil.

(Bild: AFP/AFP )

Israel's military continues to advance against the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip and is also fighting again in areas that were actually captured long ago. The Islamist Hamas fighters are said to have regrouped.

According to residents, Israeli troops have advanced further east of Rafah during the fighting in the Gaza Strip. They have advanced with tanks into the districts of Al-Jeneina, Al-Salam and Al-Brasil.

The tanks were on the streets in a residential area and there were clashes with Palestinians, a resident told Reuters news agency.

A video on online platforms showed a tank in a street in the Al-Jeneina neighborhood. Reuters has not yet been able to verify the video.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees in Rafah
Despite international appeals, the Israeli army advanced into the city on the border with Egypt a week ago, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought refuge from the fighting.

City considered Hamas' last bastion
Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip is considered the last bastion of the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas, which triggered the Middle East war with its attack on Israel on 7 October. 

According to UN estimates, almost 450,000 people have left the city, which is overcrowded with internally displaced persons, within a week.

The Islamist terrorist organization Hamas has recently increased its attacks on Israeli towns from the Gaza Strip.

Rockets on the coastal town of Ashkelon
According to Israeli figures, more than 16,600 rockets have been fired at Israel from the coastal strip since the start of the Gaza war more than seven months ago. Most recently on Tuesday on the Israeli city of Ashkelon.

There were initially no reports of casualties or property damage. On Sunday, a rocket hit a residential building in Ashkelon. Three people were injured.