The southern sector: IDF activity continued on land, at sea and in the air. In the Israeli
villages surrounding Gaza and in the city of Ashkelon there were several clashes with terrorist
squads that remained in the area.
The Israeli Air Force continued massive air strikes.
According to reports, two senior Hamas terrorists and the brother of Muhammed Deif, the
commander of Hamas’ military-terrorist wing, were killed. The Israeli Navy continued its
activities to prevent terrorists from leaving the Gaza Strip by sea. Meanwhile, terrorist
operatives continued firing rockets at Israel. In the afternoon, a massive barrage of rockets
targeted the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon. Two people were killed by a rocket hit
in the Eshkol region of the western Negev. Hamas and other sources denied that residents of
the Israeli villages near the Gaza Strip were massacred, claiming the accusations were
fabricated to promote the Israeli narrative. The chairman of Hamas “abroad” called on the
Arab countries, especially those surrounding Israel, to join the “holy war” [jihad] against Israel.
Given the IDF activity and worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, there were calls
for the transfer of aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip. Egypt expressed concern about the
movement of refugees from the Gaza Strip into its territory.