Reports of Israeli casualties in Rafah blast, as strikes kill 16 in Gaza

An explosion in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip has killed and injured Israeli troops from the Golani Brigade, who were detonating a building, according to Israeli websites. There is currently an Israeli media blackout on the incident on Thursday and there has been no official comment from the government there yet. Witnesses in Rafah told Al Jazeera of a large explosion, and Israeli helicopters trying to evacuate the wounded, and that there appear to be Israeli troops under the rubble of a building. There has been heavy fighting in the area, they said. Hamas says it is engaging in fierce point-blank clashes with Israeli forces the El Geneina neighbourhood east of Rafah city. Israeli Forces are said to be facing difficulties in evacuating the dead and injured from the site due to the intensity of the fighting. Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum reports from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile #Israel #IsraelArmy #IsraelMilitary #Palestine #Gaza #GazaWar #IsraelGazaWar #IsraelHamasWar #IsraeliArmyCasualities #IsraeliArmyLosses #Hamas #QassamBrigades #GolaniBrigade #Rafah #IsraeliArmy