Three Israeli soldiers were killed in a rocket attack claimed by the Hamas armed wing, near the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, where Palestinian health officials said at least 19 people were killed by Israeli fire on Sunday.
Israel’s military said 10 projectiles were launched from Rafah in southern Gaza towards the area of the crossing, which it said was now closed to aid trucks going into the coastal enclave. Other crossings remained open.
Hamas’ armed wing said it fired rockets at an Israeli army base by the crossing and its media quoted a source close to the group saying the commercial crossing was not the target, according to Reuters. The Times of Israel reported that Palestinian medics said Israeli airstrikes killed 16 people in Rafah just hours after the Hamas attack.
Sunday’s attack came amid the latest impasse in Gaza cease-fire talks. Hamas negotiators maintained their demand for an end to the war, Palestinian officials said. But on Sunday, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a speech for the country’s annual Holocaust Memorial Day that no international pressure “will stop Israel from defending itself.”
“If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone,” Netanyahu added. Israel began its war in response to the Hamas cross-border attack on Oct. 7, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 252 hostages were taken, according to Israeli tallies. More than 34,600 Palestinians have been killed and more than 77,000 have been wounded, according to Gaza’s health ministry. (USA Today)
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