Israel Increases Military Pressure on Rafah

Early Sunday morning, Israel sent tanks to the Jabalin refugee camp, located in the northern Gaza Belt, following a night of heavy air and land bombings that caused 19 people killed and dozens more injured, according to Gaza health officials.

Jabalia is the largest of eight historic Gaza refugee camps, where more than 100,000 people live, most of them descendants of Palestinians who were expelled during the 1948 Arab-Israel War, which led to the establishment of the state of Israel.

On Saturday evening, the Israeli Army said forces operating in Jabalia are impeding Hamas to restore his military capacities there.

“We identified Hamas' attempts to rehabilitate his military capabilities in Jabalia last weeks. We are operating there to prevent those efforts“, counteradmir Daniel Hagari, Israel's military spokesman, said during a press conference.

Mr. Hagari also said Israeli forces killed in Zeitoun in the city of Gaza about 30 Palestinian militants.

“Bundards from the air and land have not been stopped since yesterday, they were shelling everywhere even near schools that house people who have lost”, said Saed, 45, resident of Jabaliat.

“The war is under way, that's what it looks like in Jabalia“, he told the agency Reuters through an app sending messages. The new “Sulmit poses many families to evacuate“, he added.

The army sent tanks back to Al-Zeitoun, an area on the outskirts of Gaza's city, as well as to Al-Sabra, where residents also reported serious bombings that destroyed several houses, including high residence buildings.

The military had claimed to have taken control of most of these areas months earlier. / VOA