CAIRO: Israeli forces killed at least 14 Palestinians in tank and air strikes on north and central areas of the Gaza Strip on Friday, medics said, as tanks advanced further into northwest Rafah near the border with Egypt. The unrelenting fighting between the Israelis and Palestinian groups in the enclave carried on even as a parallel conflict in the Lebanon-Israel border area. Meanwhile some Palestinians displaced by the Israeli assault on Gaza said they feared their temporary beachside camp would be inundated by high waves.
Palestinian health officials said shelling by Israeli tanks killed eight people and wounded several others in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central area of Gaza, and six others were killed in an airstrike on a house in Gaza City. In the northern town of Beit Hanoun, an Israeli strike on a car killed and wounded several Palestinians, medics said.
In the southern city of Rafah, where the Israeli army has been operating since May, tanks advanced further to the northwest area backed by aircraft, residents said.
They also reported heavy fire and explosions echoing in the eastern areas of the city, where Israeli forces blew up several houses, according to residents and Hamas media. "Our fighters are engaged in fierce gunbattles against Israeli fores, who advanced into Tanour neighbourhood in Rafah," Hamas armed wing said in a statement.
The Israeli military has said that forces operating in Rafah had in past weeks killed hundreds of Palestinian gunmen, located tunnels and explosives and destroyed military infrastructure.
Israel's demand to keep control of the southern border line between Rafah and Egypt has been the focus of an international effort to conclude a ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinians.
The United States and mediators Qatar and Egypt have for months attempted to secure a truce but have failed to bring warring parties to a final agreement. Two obstacles have been especially difficult - Israel's demand that it keep forces in the Philadelphi corridor between Gaza and Egypt, and the specifics of an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
In a new challenge to Palestinians displaced in the Al-Mawasi area in southern Gaza, many were concerned about the danger of high waves. Some tents put up close to the beach flooded last week.
Israel's assault on the Palestinian enclave has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, according to the health ministry, while displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, causing a hunger crisis and leading to genocide allegations at the World Court.
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