Rafah ambush rocks Israeli forces as Gaza toll mounts; US proposes new aid plan
ALBAWABA- At least two Israeli soldiers were killed and a dozen others injured in a deadly ambush in Rafah, southern Gaza, according to Israeli media. Also Read Israeli strikes kill 92 Palestinians in Gaza today
The assault, carried out in the Al-Tannour neighborhood, led to the collapse of a building where an Israeli engineering unit was allegedly preparing to detonate explosives.
The Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, claimed responsibility, stating that they targeted the force with anti-tank and anti-personnel missiles, leaving most of the unit either dead or severely wounded.
In a separate incident, the Brigades reported hitting another Israeli unit of seven soldiers with an explosive device, describing the aftermath as one of dismembered remains scattered at the scene.
Meanwhile, Gaza's health authorities reported 106 Palestinians killed and 367 wounded in the past 24 hours amid relentless Israeli air raids across the enclave.
Since March 18, when Israel resumed its campaign, 2,651 Palestinians have been killed and over 7,200 injured. The broader death toll since October 7, 2023, now stands at 52,760 killed and 119,264 wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The Gaza government issued a grim statistical overview of the war's toll: over 11,926 massacres, 2,200 families completely annihilated, and 6,350 individuals erased from the civil registry.
The war has also devastated public services: 2.1 million cases of infectious diseases have been recorded due to overcrowding and displacement, including over 71,000 cases of viral hepatitis. In the education sector, more than 150 scientists and university professors, 800 teachers, and 13,000 students have been killed. Also Read Pakistan claims shooting down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones
At least 143 educational institutions were destroyed completely, with 366 others partially damaged. Religious and cultural heritage sites have also been hit: 828 mosques leveled, 167 severely damaged, three churches attacked, and 19 cemeteries destroyed or desecrated.
Efforts to provide humanitarian relief have been stymied, with 66 relief facilities, including hospices and aid centers, targeted. More than 37,400 aid and fuel trucks have been prevented from entering Gaza since Israel's complete closure of border crossings over two months ago.
In a diplomatic development, the United States has submitted a proposal to the UN Security Council aimed at delivering aid to Gaza without direct Israeli military involvement. The plan includes establishing four distribution centers to serve 1.2 million Palestinians, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.
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