By Charles Pemu 
GAZA/ISRAEL BORDER – Intense fighting continues to grip the Gaza Strip, as Israeli forces remain engaged in ongoing clashes with Palestinian armed factions. Reports emerging today, Tuesday, July 15, indicate a surge in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, particularly in northern areas, while both sides report fresh casualties.
The Israeli military confirmed yesterday, Monday, that three more Israeli soldiers were killed in fierce fighting in northern Gaza, with an additional soldier seriously injured. Preliminary accounts suggest a tank incident in Jabalia, possibly involving an anti-tank shell. These losses contribute to a grim total of at least 893 Israeli soldiers reportedly killed since the conflict escalated in October 2023. Palestinian resistance groups have claimed responsibility for recent ambushes, signaling their continued operational capacity.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s health ministry reported tragic civilian losses, stating that Israeli strikes on Sunday resulted in the deaths of at least 32 Palestinians, including six children, at a water collection point. The overall Palestinian death toll in Gaza has now tragically surpassed 58,000 across 21 months of conflict, with women and children accounting for over half of the fatalities.
The escalating violence comes as efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remain stalled. Key obstacles include Hamas’s demand for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and Israel’s insistence on maintaining a military presence in strategic corridors, leaving prospects for an immediate de-escalation uncertain.