With a renewed ceasefire in the eight-month-old Gaza war stalled, Israel again bombed the central and southern areas on Friday, killing at least 28 Palestinians, and advanced tank troops to the western edges of Rafah.
US-backed Qatari and Egyptian mediators tried again this week to reconcile clashing demands for a cessation of hostilities, a release of Israeli hostages and Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, and an unrestricted flow of aid to Gaza to alleviate a humanitarian disaster. But sources close to the talks say there are still no signs of a breakthrough.
A month after storming into Rafah in what Israel said was an attack to wipe out the last intact Hamas fighting units, tank-led forces have advanced to the southwestern edge of the city that lies along the Gaza Strip’s border with Egypt. residents said.
