al jazeera

By Lyndal Rowlands and Alastair McCready
    At least 50 people have been killed in Israeli air and sea attacks on Rafah tonight, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
    Israel’s planned ground offensive on Rafah will “blow up” the captive exchange negotiations, the Al-Aqsa television channel quoted a senior Hamas leader as saying on Sunday.
   US President Joe Biden tells Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu that a military ground assault would need a “safety” plan for more than 1 million people sheltering in Rafah.
   A shipment with a month’s supply of food for Gaza is being blocked in Israel’s Ashdod Port, says UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini.
   At least 112 Palestinians have been killed in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to at least 28,176. At least 67,784 Palestinians have been wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza. The death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas attacks stands at 1,139.

    Two missiles fired at vessel in the Red Sea: UKMTO

    A vessel has been attacked by two missiles off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office reports.

    It’s unclear if the missiles struck the ship but the crew were unharmed and the vessel is continuing to its next port of call, the UKMTO said.

    The Yemen-based Houthi group have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November in protest of Israel’s war on Gaza.

    Israeli military spokesperson describes details of captive rescue

    The Israeli military has been working on the rescue of two captives from Rafah “for a long time”, according to spokesperson Daniel Hagari.

    Earlier, we reported that the Israeli military announced they had rescued two men, aged 60 and 70, from the city in southern Gaza.

    “Conditions were not ripe to carry it out until now, and we waited for them to ripen,” Hagari said. “Reaching the target in the heart of Rafah was very complex.”

    Hagari said that the Israeli military arrived at the building located in Rafah’s Shabura neighbourhood at about 1am and broke in. Gunfire was exchanged with gunmen in adjacent buildings when the captives were extracted.

    “There was intense firepower from the air. Fire was opened from nearby buildings. The Air Force struck intensively there,” he said. “Many terrorists were eliminated tonight in this action.”

    There were no fatalities but one soldier was injured, Hagari said.

    Rafah attack ‘horrific and devastating’: Australian senator

    Australian Senator David Shoebridge has decried the bombardment on Rafah and questioned the timing while viewers in the United States watch the Super Bowl.

    “The attack on Rafah happening at 2am Gaza time while the US is watching the Superbowl is utterly horrific and devastating,” said Shoebridge in a post on social media.

    “Our hearts are with the Palestinian people now more than ever,” he added.

    Shoebridge is a member of the Australian Greens who have called for a ceasefire in Gaza and questioned Australia’s role in exporting weapons to Israel.