Report: IDF drones terrorists in eastern Rafah

Arab sources report two killed and a number of wounded from an IDF drone strike today (Sunday) east of Rafah.

The IDF said it launched the drone strike at a group of armed men appearing to approach and threaten army forces in the area, according to Army Radio.

The IDF continues to be deployed along a perimeter, hundreds of meters deep, inside the Gaza Strip, with the 162nd Division deployed along the northern area of the Strip, and the Gaza Division deployed along the south.

This perimeter was one of the conditions Israel insisted on for the hostage deal, alongside holding onto the Netzarim corridor bisecting the Gaza Strip and the Philadelphi Corridor connecting the Gaza Strip to Egypt.

Although on the defensive, the IDF continues to prepare for possible offensive operations into the Gaza Strip if the hostage deal breaks down. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly instructed the army to make such preparations following President Donald Trump's threat that if all the hostages were not released by noon yesterday, the ceasefire would end and "all hell" would break loose.

Hamas gave its version of events a short time ago: "Two police officers were killed and a third was seriously injured as a result of an Israeli attack, while they were deployed this morning to secure aid in the al-Shuka area, east of Rafah. We condemn this crime and call on mediators and the international community to pressure Israel to stop harming the police as a civilian mechanism that provides services to maintain the security of citizens and organize their daily affairs."

One of Israel's key war aims from the beginning of the war was "collapsing" Hamas' military and governing capabilities, including its internal security and police forces. While Israel focused its efforts mostly on eliminating Hamas military commanders and terrorists during the war, it did carry out a number of strikes against senior commanders in Hamas' internal security forces.