Ashdod came under rocket fire Sunday for the first time in months, as two projectiles were launched from northern Gaza. One was intercepted by Israel’s defenses, while the other landed in an open area without causing damage.
The barrage came as Israeli forces pressed deeper into Gaza City, described by the IDF as Hamas’s last stronghold. Over the weekend, the military reported killing multiple Hamas operatives, including a sniper accused of planning imminent attacks. His brother, Gaza’s Shifa Hospital director Mohammed Abu Salmiya, denied the claims.
Israel said its forces destroyed Hamas infrastructure, struck weapons caches, and demolished dozens of buildings used by terrorists. Naval and drone units also targeted militants threatening ground troops.
Meanwhile, Israel urged civilians to evacuate Gaza City, but aid groups warned of worsening humanitarian conditions. The Hamas-run health ministry claimed over 75 Palestinians were killed in the past day, though Israel says many were fighters.
The war, sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 kidnapped, continues nearly two years later. Israel maintains its goal of dismantling Hamas while minimizing civilian casualties, despite mounting international scrutiny.
