Israeli troops have killed about 50 Palestinian militants in the eastern Gaza Strip city of Rafah since entering there earlier this week, the Israel Defense Forces said late Thursday.
According to army estimates, around 150,000 Palestinians have been evacuated from eastern Rafah since the military operation in the city began.
Israeli soldiers have also entered the Rafah neighborhoods on the Egyptian border, and the army has taken control of the Rafah border crossing on the Gaza side.
The Times of Israel reported that the Israeli army currently has no plans to extend the evacuation calls to other areas of Rafah outside the eastern part of the city, given that negotiations are underway with the militant group Hamas to release the hostages.
Another 10 tunnel shafts were found during the Rafah operation and preparations are underway to detonate them, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Three Israeli soldiers were injured in a tunnel planted with explosives on Thursday. The wounded soldiers have been taken to the hospital.
