Israeli forces made significant advances on Thursday, moving deeper into towns on the eastern side of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, while tanks pushed forward in central Rafah. Health officials reported that airstrikes and shelling by Israeli forces resulted in the deaths of 30 Palestinians over the past day.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who informed US lawmakers on Wednesday of his active efforts to secure the release of hostages, is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris on Thursday.
Recent fighting has been concentrated around the eastern towns of Bani Suaila, Al-Zanna, and Al-Karara. On Wednesday, the Israeli army reported finding the bodies of five Israelis who had been killed in Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel and were held in Gaza.
Later on Thursday, Gaza’s health ministry reported that Israeli military strikes on areas in eastern Khan Younis resulted in 14 deaths, bringing the total death toll across Gaza over the past 24 hours to 30, with 146 injuries.
Hamas militants took more than 250 hostages during their early morning raid into southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people according to Israeli sources. Israel retaliated with a vow to eradicate Hamas in Gaza, a nine-month conflict that Gaza health officials say has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians.
Several people were wounded in the eastern towns due to Israeli tank and aerial shelling, while an airstrike east of Khan Younis claimed four more lives, according to Palestinian health officials.
