Wave of IDF airstrikes overnight in central and southern Gaza Strip

According to reports in Hebrew and Palestinian media, an intensive wave of IDF airstrikes began Saturday night in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza and Khan Younis in southern Gaza. More than 40 sites were reportedly targeted in both air and ground strikes within a short period of time. 

Israel Defense Forces later announced an airstrike against Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) operatives in the town of Rafah, near a hospital. Palestinian sources reported several deaths and at least 50 wounded from the airstrike in the crowded neighborhood.

The IDF announced on Saturday evening that three Israeli soldiers had been killed in an explosion in Khan Younis earlier in the day after an improvised explosive device (IED) that was planted in a building exploded. Fourteen other soldiers were wounded in the explosion, six of them seriously. All of the wounded soldiers were evacuated to Israeli hospitals shortly after the attack. 

The fallen soldiers were identified as Yanon Yitzhak, Afik Tari and Dolev Malka from the Kfir Brigade.

Shortly after midnight, Palestinian sources reported that IDF ground troops and tanks had surrounded a residential tower in the Madinat Hamad area of Khan Younis. 

Air raid sirens sounded in the Gaza envelope for the first time in a week late on Saturday evening.

Following several humanitarian aid airdrops by Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, the United States made its first humanitarian aid drop on Saturday into northern Gaza. The aid came after dozens of Palestinians were killed on Thursday near an aid truck entering from Israel. 

The Gaza Health Ministry, run by the Hamas government, accused Israel of killing over 100 Gazan civilians during the incident. Israel denied the claims and the IDF later released video footage to provide evidence that IDF soldiers had only opened fire to disperse those who were violently swarming around the trucks and looting the supplies.  

The United States later blocked a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israel over the incident. 

The U.S. airdrop on Saturday was described by Washington as the first in a series of such humanitarian airdrops into the Gaza Strip. Both the U.S. airdrop and previous airdrops by Jordan and the UAE are being coordinated with and supported by the IDF. 

U.S. President Joe Biden also said the U.S. was trying to reach a ceasefire agreement before the beginning of the month-long Muslim holiday of Ramadan, which begins next Sunday.

"We hope to reach a ceasefire agreement by Ramadan, but we are not there yet,” Biden said. 

The U.S. said Israel had agreed in principle to a ceasefire deal in exchange for a hostage release but that Hamas had not committed.

However, Israeli news media reported Saturday that Hamas must provide a list of currently living hostages, with proof that they are living, or there would be no deal. 

The Israeli government is increasingly concerned about the state of the remaining hostages in Gaza as the negotiations have dragged on for weeks with no breakthrough.