Recent Israeli assaults on Gaza have resulted in the deaths of three Palestinians and the injuries of several others in the southern governorate of Rafah. This comes as Hamas and Egyptian officials gather in Cairo for discussions on the future of an unstable ceasefire.
Early on Saturday, an Israeli drone targeted a group of individuals east of Rafah city, resulting in the deaths of two Palestinians. Our sources on the ground have confirmed that another person was also killed by Israeli fire in at-Tannour, also to the east of Rafah.
Since Friday night, Rafah has been under heavy Israeli attacks from tanks and drones, with shelling hitting residential areas such as al-Jnaina, ash-Shawka, and Tal as-Sultan, as reported by the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, a staggering 48,453 Palestinians have been killed and 111,860 wounded in Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023.
Simultaneously, the head of the Government Media Office in the enclave announced on Saturday, in observance of International Women’s Day, that 12,316 women have lost their lives during the conflict.
“Women’s Day coincides with the ongoing Israeli blockade and the obstruction of aid, resulting in catastrophic humanitarian conditions for women who are suffering from hunger and thirst,” said Salama Maarouf.
Government data shows that at least 2,000 women and girls have been left permanently disabled due to amputations.
Discussions on Ceasefire
Amidst the relentless attacks, a Hamas delegation has arrived in Cairo on Friday to engage in talks regarding the Gaza ceasefire.
According to reports from AFP, two senior Hamas members are part of a high-level delegation that is scheduled to engage with Egyptian officials on Saturday to discuss the next steps of the ceasefire.
Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary mentioned that Palestinians are eagerly awaiting updates on the negotiations.
“The initial phase of the ceasefire concluded on March 1, with Israel and Hamas agreeing to a truce for a week. Today marks the conclusion of that truce,” Khoudary reported. “Palestinians are feeling anxious and tense as the second phase of the ceasefire has yet to commence. The community here eagerly awaits news from these talks and perceives the ceasefire as fragile.”
While Palestinians await updates on the ceasefire, the Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid continues to add pressure on a population already struggling to survive.
“The blockade is suffocating Palestinians. They never envisioned that a ceasefire and Ramadan would arrive and they would be unable to prepare their favorite meals,” explained Khoudary, noting that communal kitchens are running out of supplies.
At the end of February, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that humanitarian aid would not be permitted into Gaza as a response to Hamas rejecting Israel’s proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, more than 50 former Israeli captives have urged Netanyahu to fully enforce the Gaza ceasefire and secure the release of those who are still held in Gaza.
“Those of us who have experienced the horrors know that a return to war poses a life-threatening situation for those who are still captive,” stated the 56 former captives in a letter shared on Instagram. “Fully implement the agreement in one swift move.”
