What Happened in Gaza: Short Update and English Practice

Air strikes struck the Gaza Strip on January 31, 2026, hitting Rafah, Gaza City and Khan Younis. Hospitals have reported dozens of dead; tallies have ranged from at least 26 to more than 30 people killed and dozens wounded. Some victims were trapped under rubble and ambulances could not reach all the sites. The strikes damaged homes and tents where displaced families had been living, and many people have been forced to move again.

The military described the targets as Hamas commanders and fighters who had emerged from tunnel shafts near Rafah, and forces have said they acted to remove an immediate threat. The timing was sensitive because the Rafah crossing with Egypt was due to reopen the next day. Humanitarian services have been stretched for months, and hospitals have been operating with limited supplies. Therefore many wounded received only basic care while aid groups sought to bring more medicine and fuel. Although a ceasefire has been in place since October, the truce has been fragile. People in Gaza face hard choices about where to stay.