Israeli strikes kill 18 in Gaza and patient crossings at Rafah halted, Palestinian officials say

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by ReutersFebruary 4, 2026 at 11:29 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed 18 people, including four children, following a shooting at Israeli soldiers that injured a reservist. The strikes targeted Gaza City and Khan Younis. Palestinian officials report that Israel has halted the evacuation of patients through the Rafah border crossing to Egypt, just two days after it reopened for limited crossings. Cogat, the Israeli military agency, claims the crossing remains open but lacks coordination details from the World Health Organization. This disruption occurs amidst a fragile ceasefire established under a US-backed plan, which has been marked by near-daily violence. Since the ceasefire began, Israeli fire has killed at least 530 people, while Palestinian militants have killed four Israeli soldiers.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Cogat 40% World Health Organization 40% Donald Trump ×240% Egypt ×350% Khan Younis ×260% Hamas ×370% Rafah border crossing ×680% Israel ×1090% Gaza ×1095%

Keywords

gaza 100% israeli strikes 90% rafah border crossing 80% patient evacuation 70% ceasefire 60% israeli military 60% hamas 50% palestinian officials 50% violence 40%