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Israel troops push into central Rafah
Soldiers were operating “in central Rafah” where they uncovered rocket-launchers and tunnel shafts and dismantled a Hamas weapons storage facility, the army said in its latest statement.
Witnesses reported seeing Israeli air strikes on the Rafah area as well as troop movements in central Rafah. In central Gaza, the army said it was “intensifying operations” and had carried out air strikes that “eliminated several terrorists” operating near Israeli troops. It did not elaborate.
On Wednesday, Israel declared its forces had taken control of the 14-km Philadelphi corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, where it alleges weapons were being smuggled.
Egypt, a longtime mediator in the conflict, has yet to officially comment on the Israeli takeover, which officials have previously said could violate the two countries’ 1979 peace deal. Amid stalled diplomatic efforts towards a cease-fire, Hamas said it had informed mediators it would only agree a “comprehensive” truce agreement including a hostage-prisoner swap if Israel halts its “aggression”.
Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s Qatar-based political office, reiterated Friday that the group’s core demands – including a permanent cease-fire and full Israeli withdrawal – “are non-negotiable”.