Al-Qassam Brigade Joins Israeli Troops In Rafah

JAKARTA - The armed wing of the Palestinian Hamas fighter group, the Al-Qassam Brigade, was involved in fierce clashes with Israeli forces in Rafah City, southern Gaza Strip.

"Brigade Al-Qassam was involved in fierce clashes with enemy forces (Israel) in eastern Rafah," the military group said.

Another group, armed wing of Islamic Jihad, Al-Quds Brigade, also stated its troops were involved in clashes with Israel in Rafah.

Meanwhile, Israeli Military Spokesman Avichay Adraee said soldiers were launching a surprise attack on Hamas in the eastern region of Rafah.

On Tuesday (7/5), Israeli forces claimed to have taken control of the Rafah border linking Gaza to Egypt, and closed all traffic access to and from the city.

The day before, Israeli forces issued an evacuation order for Palestinians in eastern Rafah.

The order is widely seen as the beginning of an Israeli attack, which the international community has long feared against the city.

Israel is attacking the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the attack of the Palestinian Hamas fighter group on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 victims.

Israeli attacks left nearly 34,800 Palestinians killed in Gaza and 78,100 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Seven months after Israel's war, much of Gaza's territory was destroyed, triggering 85 percent of the population in the Palestinian enclave to flee, amid food shortages, clean water, and medicines, the United Nations said.