<p>Cairo: Israeli forces pounded several areas across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing at least 39 Palestinians, according to health officials, as tanks advanced deeper into western and northern Rafah.</p><p>Among those killed on Saturday were local journalist Mohammad Abu Jasser, his wife and two children in an Israeli strike on their home in the northern Gaza Strip, a medic said.</p><p>Gaza's Hamas-run government media office said Abu Jasser's death raised to 161 the number of Palestinian media personnel killed by Israeli fire since Oct 7.</p><p>Just before midnight, an Israeli air strike on an encampment housing displaced Palestinian families killed at least 10 people, medics and Hamas media said.</p><p>In Al-Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, an Israeli air strike on a house on Saturday killed three people and wounded eight others, medics said.</p><p>Earlier in the day an Israeli missile struck a multi-floor building in the camp, and wounded several people, including two local journalists, rescue workers said.</p>.World Court says it can give opinion on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.<p>In Rafah, where Israel said it aimed to dismantle the last battalions of Hamas' armed wing, residents said tanks advanced deeper into northern areas of the city and took control of a hilltop in the west, amid fierce gun battles with Hamas-led fighters.</p><p>The army said troops continued operations in Rafah, eliminating many gunmen over the past day in the area of Tel Al-Sultan on the western side of the city. In central Gaza, the military said it conducted raids on militants' infrastructure.</p><p>The military also said it hit a structure used by Palestinian militants in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza Strip, saying gunmen were operating from a humanitarian area, and accused Gaza militants of exploiting civilian structures and population for military purposes, an allegation Hamas and other groups reject as false to justify such attacks.</p><p>A ceasefire effort led by Qatar and Egypt and backed by the United States has so far failed due to disputes between the combatants, who blame each other for the impasse.</p><p>Israel vowed to eradicate Hamas after its fighters killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostage in an Oct. 7 attack, according to Israeli tallies. At least 38,919 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's retaliatory offensive since then, Gaza health authorities say.</p><p>On Tuesday, Israel said it had eliminated half the leadership of Hamas' military wing and killed or captured about 14,000 fighters since the start of the war.</p><p>Israel says 326 of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza.</p><p>Hamas does not release casualty figures and said Israel exaggerates its reports to give the impression of a "fake victory".</p>
<p>Cairo: Israeli forces pounded several areas across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing at least 39 Palestinians, according to health officials, as tanks advanced deeper into western and northern Rafah.</p><p>Among those killed on Saturday were local journalist Mohammad Abu Jasser, his wife and two children in an Israeli strike on their home in the northern Gaza Strip, a medic said.</p><p>Gaza's Hamas-run government media office said Abu Jasser's death raised to 161 the number of Palestinian media personnel killed by Israeli fire since Oct 7.</p><p>Just before midnight, an Israeli air strike on an encampment housing displaced Palestinian families killed at least 10 people, medics and Hamas media said.</p><p>In Al-Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, an Israeli air strike on a house on Saturday killed three people and wounded eight others, medics said.</p><p>Earlier in the day an Israeli missile struck a multi-floor building in the camp, and wounded several people, including two local journalists, rescue workers said.</p>.World Court says it can give opinion on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.<p>In Rafah, where Israel said it aimed to dismantle the last battalions of Hamas' armed wing, residents said tanks advanced deeper into northern areas of the city and took control of a hilltop in the west, amid fierce gun battles with Hamas-led fighters.</p><p>The army said troops continued operations in Rafah, eliminating many gunmen over the past day in the area of Tel Al-Sultan on the western side of the city. In central Gaza, the military said it conducted raids on militants' infrastructure.</p><p>The military also said it hit a structure used by Palestinian militants in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza Strip, saying gunmen were operating from a humanitarian area, and accused Gaza militants of exploiting civilian structures and population for military purposes, an allegation Hamas and other groups reject as false to justify such attacks.</p><p>A ceasefire effort led by Qatar and Egypt and backed by the United States has so far failed due to disputes between the combatants, who blame each other for the impasse.</p><p>Israel vowed to eradicate Hamas after its fighters killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostage in an Oct. 7 attack, according to Israeli tallies. At least 38,919 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's retaliatory offensive since then, Gaza health authorities say.</p><p>On Tuesday, Israel said it had eliminated half the leadership of Hamas' military wing and killed or captured about 14,000 fighters since the start of the war.</p><p>Israel says 326 of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza.</p><p>Hamas does not release casualty figures and said Israel exaggerates its reports to give the impression of a "fake victory".</p>