Israeli forces push deeper into southern, northern Gaza
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STORY: Funerals such as this one are now all too common in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. And these victims, buried on Friday (June 28), were emergency workers, who were killed after an Israeli airstrike hit the headquarters of the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service in Al-Nuseirat camp. These are the crews who run toward fire, digging through rubble, seeking survivors. The rescue service said its facility was struck just before midnight. It said the latest deaths raised the tally of staff killed by Israeli forces to 74 since the start of the war on October 7. Mohammed Al-Mugheir, the director of support at the Palestinian Civil Defence told Reuters his emergency teams faced severe shortages of critical supplies as a result of Israel’s military offensive, which has left the densely-populated coastal enclave in ruins. “The capabilities are almost non-existent, in light of the increased strikes and airstrikes. Missions which would require two hours, take up to four to six hours to complete as the rescue machinery (needed) do not exist due to lack of fuel to operate the machinery needed to break concrete and to pull martyrs and the wounded from under the rubble.” The loss of rescue workers is yet another compounding tragedy for Gaza residents. Israel launched a massive air and ground offensive into Gaza after Hamas militants rampaged through Israeli communities on October 7, killing 1200 and taking 250 captives, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliation has killed more than 37,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Israeli military released footage on Friday, purporting to show its tanks operating in Shejaia, in the northern Gaza Strip, while Palestinian officials said Israeli forces were also pressing in the south. Reuters was able to verify part of the video based on buildings, but was was not able to independently verify the date when the video was filmed. Residents and Hamas media said tanks advanced further west into Rafah, forcing thousands of displaced people there to leave their tent camps and head northward to nearby Khan Younis. The Israeli military did not immediately comment. Since May 7, tanks have advanced in several districts of Rafah, and forces remained in control of the entire border line with Egypt and the Rafah crossing, the only gateway for most of Gaza's 2.3 million people with the outside world.
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