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The number of martyrs - on the 127th day of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip - rose to more than 28 thousand martyrs, and the occupation forces committed 16 massacres in this besieged Strip.

The occupation forces' attacks on Rafah intensified, at a time when regional and international voices rose warning of a massive humanitarian catastrophe if Israel invaded Rafah.

Israel continued its incursions into the West Bank and its bombing of southern Lebanon, while a number of European countries witnessed demonstrations in support of Gaza and demanding an immediate end to the aggression against it.

 Massacres and martyrs

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced that the number of martyrs of the Israeli aggression on the Strip has risen to 28,64 martyrs and 67,611 injured since October 7, 2023.

She added that the occupation committed 16 massacres in the Gaza Strip, killing 117 martyrs and 152 injured during the past 24 hours.

Hind's body was found

Today, the body of the Palestinian girl Hind Rajab (6 years old) and five members of her family were found 12 days after losing contact with her, and after Israeli occupation tanks surrounded her inside a vehicle and killed members of her relatives in the vicinity of the “Finance Roundabout” in the Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood, where he was martyred immediately. Her family members, while she and her cousin Layan (14 years old) remained alive for some time.

The Palestinian Red Crescent announced the discovery of the bodies of two martyred paramedics after they lost track of the mission to rescue the little girl Hind 12 days ago. It said that the occupation deliberately targeted the ambulance, meters away from Hind’s family’s vehicle.

Israeli raids on Rafah

Israel launched a number of raids on Rafah, and medical sources in Gaza reported that the number of martyrs in Rafah had risen to 42 martyrs since dawn today.

Two Palestinian police officers were martyred in an Israeli air strike that targeted their vehicle in the Brazil neighborhood, south of Rafah. A similar raid rocked the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood this morning, leading to the martyrdom of the Director of the Investigation Service, Ahmed al-Yaqoubi, his deputy, Ayman al-Rantisi, and the head of the Supply Investigation Department in Rafah, Ibrahim Shatat, as a result of Israeli warplanes bombing a civilian car west of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.

Warnings of a military operation in Rafah

Warnings have escalated - today - of a massive humanitarian catastrophe if Israel invades Rafah, which is the last refuge for the displaced in this besieged sector.

The State of Qatar called on the UN Security Council to take urgent action to prevent Israel from invading Rafah, and condemned in the strongest terms the Israeli threats to storm this city.

For its part, the Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed its concern about the Israeli threat to invade Rafah, and warned of extremely dangerous repercussions.

The UAE said - according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - that it warns against Israel launching a military operation in Rafah, which is crowded with displaced Palestinians.

In turn, the German Foreign Ministry said that any attack launched by the Israeli army on Rafah would be a humanitarian disaster.

The Canadian Foreign Ministry also expressed its concern about reports regarding an Israeli military operation in Rafah.

For its part, the government media office in Gaza warned of a global catastrophe and massacre if Israel invaded Rafah Governorate.

In addition, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) warned that the occupation would commit massacres in Rafah, which is crowded with displaced people living in harsh humanitarian conditions.

The official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said on Saturday that the military operation in Rafah will begin after the completion of a large-scale evacuation of civilians from this city and its suburbs.

Resistance operations

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), said that it was able to "target two Zionist tanks with Al-Yassin 105 shells southwest of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City."

In turn, the Al-Quds Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement - said that its fighters bombed with mortar shells a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles east of the Maghazi camp.

Incursions into the West Bank

Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Kafr Qaddum, east of the city of Qalqilya in the West Bank, and besieged several neighborhoods in the town.

The incursions - carried out by the occupation forces in the West Bank - also included other towns, including Bani Naim, east of Hebron, and Beit Ummar, north of the city of Hebron, in the south of the West Bank.

Lebanon Front

Today, Israel launched a series of raids on Lebanon, one of which targeted a Hamas official - according to the Israeli army - but he survived the assassination, according to a Lebanese security source.

Lebanese Hezbollah said that it had taken control of an Israeli Skylark drone, and that it was in good technical condition.

Israeli media reported that at least 10 missiles were launched from Lebanon towards Western Galilee.

The occupation army announced that sirens sounded in northern Israel, while Hezbollah confirmed that it targeted a building in the Al-Manara settlement with Israeli soldiers inside, with appropriate weapons, and that it was directly hit.

On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian discussed today with Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and Palestinian faction leaders - in separate meetings in Beirut - developments in the Israeli war on Gaza.

Raids in Yemen

The Ansar Allah group (Houthis) said on Saturday that the United States and Britain targeted the Al-Saleef district in Al-Hudaydah Governorate, western Yemen, with 3 raids.

This group also announced that 17 of its officers were killed in raids launched by the United States and Britain on Yemen without specifying the place and time of their killing, and they were buried in a solemn funeral procession, as it put it.

On the other hand, the US Central Command said that its forces attacked two pilot boats and 5 cruise missiles that were prepared to be launched in the Red Sea yesterday.

Demonstrations in support of Gaza

Demonstrations and marches are continuing - in many European capitals and cities - rejecting the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, and demanding an immediate end to the war.

Today, the German capital, Berlin, witnessed 3 massive demonstrations with the participation of human rights organizations and demonstrators from other cities.

Dozens of demonstrators protested in the streets of the Swedish city of Malmo, denouncing the continued Israeli aggression against Gaza.

The French capital also witnessed a massive demonstration demanding an end to the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

In the British capital, pro-Palestine events took place in 34 cities, including more than 40 demonstrations.

In Istanbul, Turkey, dozens of doctors and health workers participated, on Saturday, in a march in solidarity with the Palestinian Gaza Strip and to protest the Israeli attacks.

Downgrading Israel's credit rating

Moody's lowered Israel's credit rating to "A2" with a negative outlook. Reuters said that Moody's expects Israel's debt burden to rise compared to pre-war expectations.

Moody's justified the reduction by "the war with Hamas and its repercussions that increase the political risks to Israel" and stressed that "the escalation of the conflict with Hezbollah still exists, raising the possibility of a major negative impact on the Israeli economy."

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies