Thursday, 01/01/2026   
   Beirut 13:37

Israeli Occupation Forces Continue Attacks in Gaza

Israeli aggression has continued across the Gaza Strip, marking new violations of the ceasefire agreement that was brokered by Arab and American mediators and took effect on October 10, 2025. Since dawn on Thursday, January 1, 2026, a series of incidents have been recorded.

According to local sources, Israeli warplanes conducted an airstrike targeting eastern areas of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Simultaneously, Israeli occupation military vehicles opened fire towards the city’s eastern neighborhoods.

Further south, a series of Israeli airstrikes targeted various areas of Rafah, while military vehicles fired north of the city. The attacks extended to Gaza City, where Israeli artillery shelled eastern areas of the Tuffah neighborhood, accompanied by gunfire from military vehicles.

Earlier in the morning, Israeli warplanes launched an airstrike on the Shuja’iyya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City amidst heavy gunfire and renewed artillery shelling of eastern neighborhoods. Israeli artillery also shelled the center of the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.

In the central Gaza Strip, Israeli military vehicles stationed southeast of the Bureij refugee camp fired upon homes and tents of displaced persons near Salah al-Din Street and adjacent to the Bureij cemetery.

Casualties and Escalating Toll

These ongoing attacks and violations have resulted in further casualties. Over the past 24 hours, a Palestinian man was killed in Rafah, five Palestinians were wounded in the central Gaza Strip, and a woman was wounded in the south.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the death toll from Israeli attacks since the ceasefire began on October 10 has risen to 415, with 1,152 wounded.

The Ministry further clarified that the cumulative death toll from what it terms the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip—starting from the beginning of the military aggression on October 7, 2023, until the end of 2025—has reached 71,269 martyrs, with 171,232 wounded, including serious and critical cases. It emphasized that this occurs amidst ongoing violations and the absence of effective guarantees for a durable ceasefire.

Claims Regarding Rafah Crossing

Amidst the violations on the ground, Israeli media outlets have circulated claims about preparations to open the Rafah crossing. These reports are based on an alleged agreement between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, stipulating the crossing would be opened from both sides upon Netanyahu’s return from Washington.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that American pressure has been exerted in recent days to push Israel towards opening the crossing, suggesting an official announcement may be issued in the near future.

Source: Palestinian media (translated and edited by Al-Manar)