DaysofPal – Israeli occupation forces killed seven Palestinians, including two children, on Wednesday in separate attacks across Gaza, in the latest violations of a fragile, US-brokered ceasefire. The escalation comes as Israel announced plans to reopen the vital Rafah crossing, but only for outbound movement, raising fears of permanent displacement for Gaza’s population.
The Israeli army said the renewed strikes followed an alleged attack by Hamas fighters that wounded four soldiers in southern Rafah, near the Egyptian border. Palestinian medical sources reported that two people were shot dead in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood, while five others, including children aged eight and ten, were killed when Israeli missiles struck the al-Mawasi camp in southern Gaza.
The attack on al-Mawasi triggered a fire that engulfed several tents, leaving many victims with severe burns. Civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal said the missile strike killed “five citizens, including two children,” and wounded more than 30 others.
Hamas condemned the attack as a “war crime,” accusing Israel of disregarding the ceasefire. According to Gaza authorities, Israel has violated the ceasefire at least 591 times since it took effect on October 10, resulting in at least 360 Palestinian deaths and 922 injuries.
Remains of Captives Handed Over
Also on Wednesday, the Israeli army confirmed receiving remains believed to belong to one of the two remaining Israeli captives held in Gaza. The transfer was facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross. It came a day after Israel said earlier remains returned by Hamas did not match the missing captives.
Since the start of the ceasefire, Hamas has returned 20 living captives and 26 bodies in exchange for about 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners.
Controversy Over Rafah Crossing
A key component of the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan requires full reopening of the Rafah crossing and expanded humanitarian access. Despite this, Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced that Rafah would open in the coming days only for the exit of Gaza residents, pending Israeli “security approval.”
The move immediately raised concerns of forced displacement, a scenario openly supported by far-right ministers within Israel’s government.
“It’s hard to see this as restoring freedom of movement rather than restricting it,” said Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud from Gaza City. “It accelerates the depopulation of the Gaza Strip.”
Egypt firmly rejected Israel’s unilateral decision. Cairo said Rafah would open only if movement occurs in both directions, insisting that it had not agreed to any outbound-only arrangement.
Former Egyptian diplomat Hussein Haridy stressed that Egypt remains bound by UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which requires all crossings to be opened as part of the ceasefire. “We will hold Israel accountable if they fail to implement it,” he said.
UN and International Reactions
The United Nations echoed calls for a full reopening of Rafah for humanitarian cargo, aid workers, and civilian movement. “If Palestinians want to leave, they must be able to do so freely and also return freely,” said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
President Trump, meanwhile, claimed the ceasefire was progressing and that the second phase of his Gaza plan would begin soon. Future steps include deploying an international stabilization force, forming a technocratic Palestinian government, and disarming Hamas, conditions the group says it cannot accept while Israeli occupation persists.
The World Health Organization estimates that over 8,000 Palestinian patients have been evacuated since the war began in October 2023, but more than 16,500 still urgently need to leave Gaza for treatment. Doctors Without Borders said the need is “really huge,” with many countries slow to approve medical evacuations or allocate budgets.
So far, Egypt and the UAE have taken in the largest number of patients. Italy has accepted more than 200, while France has taken 27 and Germany none.
Since October 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 70,117 Palestinians and wounded 170,999, according to local authorities. In Israel, 1,139 people were killed during the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and about 200 were taken captive.
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