In a recent escalation of violence in Gaza, Palestinian fighters launched an attack on Israeli troops, resulting in the death of an Israeli reservist. According to Israeli news site Walla, the fighters had been hiding in tunnels for months and their actions appear to be independent of the Hamas leadership. The attack occurred in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where the fighters targeted soldiers using heavy equipment. The tunnel in which they were hiding began to collapse, forcing them to act and catching the Israeli soldiers off guard. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered widespread attacks across the Gaza Strip, leading to the deaths of over 100 Palestinians, including 46 children, further violating the fragile ceasefire. The Israeli military believes the fighters had been concealed in a tunnel near the al-Janina neighborhood, an area under Israeli control. Meanwhile, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vowed on social media to continue efforts to annihilate Hamas, while an MP from his party called for revenge. Separately, the mother of an autistic Palestinian teenager, a citizen of Israel, reported that her son has been abused by prison guards following his detention in the occupied West Bank. The boy, recognized as disabled by the state, was arrested during a family visit and remains in custody despite his mother’s release. His lawyer detailed allegations of severe violence and inhumane conditions in detention, which the Israel Prison Service denies. Additionally, Israeli military data revealed a concerning rise in soldier suicides since the start of 2024, with 279 active-duty soldiers attempting suicide and 48 succeeding. MP Ofer Kasif emphasized the need for support systems for soldiers and an end to the ongoing conflict to address this growing crisis.
