Residents and Palestinian media reported a night of heavy bombardment in the area of Rafah, in southern Gaza, on Thursday as the Israeli military said its forces had continued to operate “in face-to-face encounters” with Hamas militants there.
Saeed Lulu, a 37-year-old who is sheltering in the nearby area of Al-Mawasi — parts of which Israel has designated a “humanitarian zone” for people who have fled Rafah — said he heard strikes between midnight and 6 a.m., though he said he was not aware of any casualties. The strikes appeared to target the southwest edge of Al-Mawasi, he said.
“We are very concerned,” Mr. Lulu said. “This is supposed to be a safe area, and we have no other place to go to if they attack here,” he added.
It was not possible to independently verify the location of the strikes.
Wafa, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency, reported on Thursday that the Israeli military had intensified missile and artillery bombardment “by air, land and sea,” on Al-Mawasi.
The Israeli military quickly denied the Wafa reports and said in a statement posted on the Telegram messaging app that no Israeli military attack “took place in the humanitarian area of Al-Mawaasi."
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