18 people were killed in Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli strikes killed 18 people, including four children. The Rafah border crossing was also closed again. This was reported by the Reuters news agency on February 4.

The Israeli military said the strikes were carried out after a gunman opened fire on soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and seriously wounded one of the reservists.

The agency clarifies that the strikes were carried out on the city of Gaza and Khan Yunis.

A representative of the Gaza Ministry of Health said that the Israeli authorities also suspended the work of the Rafah checkpoint a few days after its reopening.

In turn, the Israeli agency Coordinator of Government Actions in the Palestinian Territories (COGAT), which controls access to the Gaza Strip, said that Rafah remains open, but the border guards have not received data on the Palestinians from the World Health Organization (WHO) necessary to facilitate the operation of the checkpoint.

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The Jerusalem Post newspaper reported on the opening of the Rafah crossing on January 30. It was clarified that entry and exit for civilians through the checkpoint would be allowed only after prior agreement with Egypt, which would transfer the names of those wishing to cross the checkpoint to the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet).

The Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt was opened for the first time since 2025 as part of the second phase of US President Donald Trump's plan for a cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement.

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