Israel escalated its aerial bombardment and artillery onslaught on Gaza in its ongoing conflict with Hamas on Wednesday, following the approval of a $13 billion military aid package by the US Congress.
Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, hailed the Senate’s endorsement of the aid as a clear message to adversaries, expressing this sentiment on the social media platform X.
Strained ties between the US and Israel have stemmed from Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s push to deploy troops to Rafah, a southern Gazan city housing 1.5 million people, with many in temporary shelters.
Concerns are mounting over a potential Israeli offensive on Rafah, labeled by Israel as the last major Hamas bastion. Aid organizations caution that such a move would result in disastrous consequences.
Reports early Wednesday indicated Israeli air raids in Rafah and the central Nuseirat refugee camp, while residents in northern Gaza experienced heavy bombardment overnight. The Israeli military announced targeting over 50 locations in the past 24 hours.
