In a fierce escalation of the conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants, deadly clashes have erupted in multiple areas of the Gaza Strip. Israeli troops engaged in combat with militants in the northern and central parts of the region, while Gaza's Hamas movement vowed to vanquish its Israeli adversary.

As preparations are made for an assault on the southern city of Rafah, where over 1 million Palestinians have sought refuge, sporadic fighting continues across various parts of Gaza. Reports from the Al-Nusseirat camp in central Gaza indicate that dozens have been killed or wounded due to Israeli bombardment by air, land, and sea. The barrage, which followed a surprise ground assault on Thursday, resulted in the destruction of houses and two mosques.

According to health officials, six people were initially reported dead, with around 70 wounded, including three Palestinian journalists, in the cinder-block camp that has been home to Palestinian refugee families since 1948. In Gaza City, Palestinian health officials claimed that an Israeli airstrike on a house in the Al-Daraj neighborhood resulted in the deaths of at least 25 people, with several others sustaining injuries. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported a total of 89 Palestinians killed by Israeli military strikes within a 24-hour period.

Responding to the escalating violence, the Israeli military (IDF) stated that it was conducting a targeted operation against militants and their infrastructure in central Gaza. The IDF claimed to have struck over 60 terror targets, including underground launch posts and military sites where armed terrorists operated, through fighter jets and artillery fire.

Hamas, in a statement, accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilian homes and property in Al-Nusseirat after failing to achieve any significant military achievements or enforce its own agendas. Israel, however, denied these claims and accused Hamas of using residential buildings as cover.

Khaled Meshaal, a senior official in Hamas, made a powerful statement from his exile in Doha, Qatar, stating that the ongoing conflict with Israel is not the final round but an important step towards liberating Palestine and defeating the Zionist project. Meshaal's speech followed the mourning of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's family members who were killed in an Israeli airstrike.

The conflict has witnessed a devastating toll on the people of Gaza. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 33,634 Palestinians, including 89 in the past 24 hours, have lost their lives since the Israeli offensive began. The majority of Gaza's 2.3 million population have been displaced, and large parts of the densely populated enclave have been destroyed.

As tensions escalate, Israel remains determined to storm Rafah, citing the presence of significant Hamas combat forces hiding in the area after being routed elsewhere. Leaflets dropped by Israeli warplanes in a western neighborhood of Rafah pleaded with residents for information about hostages being held captive. The leaflets urged cooperation to protect families and ensure a safer future.

The Israeli military has not yet commented on the latest developments.

As the conflict rages on, the international community remains deeply concerned about the escalating violence and the devastating impact it is having on the civilians caught in the crossfire. Calls for restraint from various countries, including the United States, have so far gone unheeded as the war-torn region continues to face an uncertain future.