By Nidal al-Mughrabi
CAIRO (Reuters) – Israeli forces sent tanks deeper into areas in the Gaza Strip’s south on Sunday as fighting with Hamas-led militants raged, and Gaza health officials said Israeli military strikes had killed 66 Palestinians across the enclave in the past 24 hours.
Tanks pushed deeper into the three towns of Al-Karara, Al-Zanna, and Bani Suhaila, in the east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, and medics said at least nine Palestinians were killed earlier on Sunday by Israeli military strikes in those areas.
Residents said fierce fighting could be heard in eastern areas of Khan Younis where the army was operating. The new incursions caused thousands more families to leave their homes and head to overcrowded areas in Al-Mawasi to the west, and north to Deir Al-Balah.
Over the past few days, Israel’s military said the raid in eastern Khan Younis was in response to renewed attacks, including rocket firing, from those areas and to prevent Hamas from regrouping. It said forces killed dozens of militants in the area and destroyed military infrastructure.
Meanwhile, in Rafah, near the border with Egypt, Israeli forces advanced deeper into the northern parts of the city, where they have yet to take full control.
Tanks also shelled some areas in the central Gaza Strip including Bureij camp, Nuseirat camp and the Juhr El-Deek village.
On Sunday, CIA Director William Burns was expected to meet in Rome with his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts and Qatar’s prime minister for talks on a Gaza ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas.
Hamas wants a ceasefire agreement to end the war in Gaza, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows the conflict will stop only once Hamas is defeated.
Israeli public broadcaster Kan said Israel’s response to the latest proposal was handed to Washington on Saturday ahead of the expected meeting – the latest effort to reach an agreement after months in which Israel and Hamas have blamed each other for the stalemate.
Israel said on Sunday it would strike hard against Hamas ally Hezbollah after accusing Iran-backed Hezbollah of killing 12 children and teenagers in a rocket attack on a football field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
The attack escalated tensions in the hostilities, which have been fought in parallel to the Gaza war and have raised fears of a full-blown conflict between the heavily armed adversaries.
More than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive in Gaza, according to local health authorities, who do not distinguish between fighters and non-combatants.
Israel, which has lost 328 soldiers in Gaza combat, estimates that fighters account for about a third of the Palestinians killed since it launched its military offensive in response to a Hamas-led attack in southern Israel in October.
About 1,200 people were killed and 250 were taken hostage in the Oct. 7 attack, according to Israeli tallies.