Gazans flee expanding strikes in north, south as IDF says fighting entering ‘new stage’

The military said it was entering “a new stage” of fighting against the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, as troops prepared to cut off the southern city of Rafah and warplanes carried out extensive strikes across the enclave, amid warnings of further attacks.

Hamas-controlled health authorities in the Strip reported dozens killed in Israeli strikes over the previous 24 hours, including 27 people who died when three missiles hit a former school building in the al-Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City, though the tolls could not be confirmed.

Israeli authorities said warplanes had targeted “key Hamas terrorists” inside a command center used to plan and execute attacks against Israelis and that it had taken steps to mitigate harm to civilians. The intensification in fighting came a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that troops would carve out a new security corridor that will seemingly cut off Rafah as it seeks to pile pressure on Hamas, which continues to hold 59 Israeli hostages kidnapped on October 7, 2023.  (Read more)