Israel-Hamas War day 275: What is going on in Gaza, Lebanon?

International media was invited by Israel to visit Rafah for the first time since the city was taken over by the IDF two months ago, AP News reported on Sunday. 

AP News journalists recorded a soldier showing the reporters where tunnels had been based as he explained to them that many of the tunnels were booby-trapped. 

The soldier explained that many of these tunnels had been used to smuggle weapons into Gaza. 

The videographer captured scenes of destroyed sand-covered structures.

The IDF on Sunday announced the death of Major Jalaa Ibrahem, aged 25, a company commander in the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion, who fell during combat in the southern Gaza Strip.

His family was notified, and his funeral will take place on Monday at noon. 

Ibrahem was killed by an anti-tank missile in Rafah, Israeli media reported.

Shai Albag, sister of Hamas hostage Liri, learned from released hostages that her captors subject her to psychological torture, telling her, "No one will save you" and "You'll get married in Gaza."

The decision to move from “there won’t be Hamas” and “military pressure brings hostages home” to some kind of de facto ceasefire and managed conflict, and leaving Hamas in power, will not bode well.

A 31-year-old, who is reported by Israeli media to be an American citizen, was in critical condition and brought to the general intensive care unit. Two others, aged 42 and 25, are in stable condition and undergoing tests in the emergency room. 

Rocket sirens sounded in northern Israel on Sunday afternoon.

An Israel Air Force aircraft struck the Khan Yunis municipality building in the Gaza Strip during an overnight operation, the military said on Sunday. 

The strike was carried out using intelligence information provided by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Southern Command. 

Among other things, in the building was an operational shaft that was connected to an underground route that served as a meeting place for Hamas terrorists, the military noted. 

Before the attack, the military carried out several steps to reduce potential harm to civilians, the IDF added.

Hamas is waiting for a response from Israel on its ceasefire proposal, two officials from the Palestinian terror group said on Sunday, five days after it accepted a key part of a US plan aimed at ending the nine-month war in Gaza.

"We have left our response with the mediators and are waiting to hear the occupation's response," one of the two Hamas officials told Reuters, asking not to be named.

The three-phase plan was put forward at the end of May by US President Joe Biden and is being mediated by Qatar and Egypt. It aims to end the war and free around 120 Israeli hostages being held by Hamas.

Another Palestinian official, with knowledge of the ongoing ceasefire deliberations, said Israel was in talks with the Qataris.

"They have discussed with them Hamas' response, and they promised to give them Israel's response within days," the official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters on Sunday.