Rafah: An Israeli strike on Friday claimed the life of a Palestinian at the al-Skakush area near the so-called yellow line, northwest of Rafah City, according to medical sources at the Nasser Hospital. The victim, identified as 42-year-old Rafat Adel Ibrahim Breika, a sheep herder, was reportedly targeted by an Israeli drone strike in the area.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency, Israeli artillery has also shelled eastern Khan Younis and northern Rafah, with intense bombardment targeting the eastern and southern regions of Khan Younes. The ongoing conflict has seen Israel waging a military campaign against the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023. This onslaught has resulted in the deaths of 72,775 Palestinians, primarily women and children, and has left 172,750 others injured. The destruction has decimated 90% of the Strip's infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated at $70 billion.
Despite a ceasefire agreement that went into effect on October 11, 2025, Israeli military actions have continued, resulting in the deaths of 883 Palestinians and injuries to 2,648 others. During this period, the bodies of 776 slain Palestinians have been recovered. In the last 24 hours alone, two more bodies and 27 casualties were admitted to Gaza hospitals.
The conflict's toll extends beyond immediate casualties, with at least 10,000 people unaccounted for and presumed dead under the rubble of their homes. The Israeli aggression has also led to the displacement of nearly two million people across the Gaza Strip. Most of these displaced individuals have been forced into the densely populated southern city of Rafah, near the Egyptian border, marking the largest mass exodus in Palestine since the 1948 Nakba.