Israeli Forces Intensify Ground Ops; Encircle Rafah’s Tel al-Sultan in Gaza Offensive

Israeli forces intensified their operations in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, March 23, 2025, encircling the Tel al-Sultan neighbourhood in Rafah, southern Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that troops surrounded the area overnight, engaging in raids that killed several militants and targeted a Hamas command centre. The IDF stated the operation aims to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and expand the security zone in southern Gaza. Footage showed troops advancing with armoured vehicles and dogs, firing into damaged buildings amid heavy combat.

The escalation follows a renewed offensive after a ceasefire with Hamas collapsed in late January. Social media and Palestinian sources reported civilians—women, children, and elderly—fleeing Rafah towards Al-Mawasi in the north, clutching belongings amid chaos.

Gaza health authorities claimed the Palestinian death toll surpassed 50,000, with 41 killed and 61 wounded in the past 24 hours alone, though these figures remain unverified by independent sources.

This push comes after Israeli forces destroyed Gaza’s only cancer hospital in the Netzarim Corridor on Friday, alleging Hamas activity there. The operation has drawn international concern, with the UN warning of a crumbling aid system as Rafah’s population, swollen by displaced Palestinians, faces dire conditions.

Egypt condemned the move, citing threats to regional stability. With no ceasefire in sight, the conflict, sparked by Hamas’s October 2023 attack killing 1,200 Israelis, continues to exact a heavy toll.