On Thursday, May 9, Israeli forces shelled areas of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. The attack killed a senior commander of the Islamic terrorist group Al-Mujahideen Brigades. This was reported by UNN with reference to Reuters.
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Israel claims Hamas militants are hiding in Rafah.
According to residents and doctors in Rafah, at least three people were killed and several others injured in an Israeli attack on Thursday near a mosque in the eastern district of Brazil. In addition, an Israeli air strike on two houses in the Sabra neighborhood of Rafah reportedly killed at least 12 people, including women and children.
Among the dead are a senior commander of the Al-Mujahidin Brigade and his family, as well as the family of another leader of the group, according to doctors, relatives and representatives of the group.
In Gaza, the Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad said their fighters fired anti-tank missiles and mortars at Israeli tanks that had congregated on the eastern outskirts of the city.
A senior Israeli official told Reuters on Thursday that the latest round of indirect talks in Cairo to end hostilities in Gaza had ended and Israel would continue its operation in Rafah and other parts of the Gaza Strip as planned.
According to the official, Israel has conveyed its reservations to mediators about Hamas's offer to release hostages.
In the United States, the White House has expressed hope that Israel will not launch a full-scale operation in Rafah, saying that it does not believe it will contribute to Israel's goal of defeating Hamas.
"An invasion of Rafah, in (President Biden's) view, would not advance that goal," said spokesman John Kirby.
According to Kirby, Hamas has been under considerable pressure from Israel, and there are better options than an operation involving significant risk to civilians to track down the remnants of the group's leadership.
On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden issued a warning against a full-scale ground invasion of Rafah, saying: "I've made it clear that if they go into Rafah... I will not supply weapons.