At least 22 people were killed and several dozen injured on Saturday during a new offensive incursion by Israeli forces into the Gaza Strip, as confirmed by the enclave's Civil Defense. Among the dead is a commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, according to Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defense. Meanwhile, a Hamas source stated that the movement has expressed its disagreement with the continuous Israeli attacks against the Strip, despite Hamas and other Palestinian factions adhering to the ceasefire agreement. Additionally, Hamas urged mediators to 'intervene immediately to prevent the collapse of the agreement as Israel seeks,' emphasizing that the movement and other factions remain committed to the ceasefire despite the escalation. The source also warned of Israel's continuation of resident killings in the enclave, along with what it described as the 'slow pressure' from the United States on Israel to contain its actions, which could push the situation toward potential chaos. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces indicated that their troops pursued 17 militants who emerged from a tunnel network in eastern Rafah in southern Gaza, killing eleven of them. Since the ceasefire in Gaza took effect in October of this year, attacks launched by Israel have resulted in 318 deaths and 788 injuries, raising the total death toll since October 7, 2023, to 69,733 and the number of injured to 170,863, according to Gaza health authorities.
