JERUSALEM, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Israel's military said its air defense systems intercepted two rockets fired from northern Gaza on Wednesday night. Air raid sirens sounded in communities near the Palestinian enclave, police said.

The rocket fire came as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad renewed attacks following Israel's decision to end a two-month ceasefire in March.

In southern Gaza, Israeli troops from the 14th Brigade, a reserve armored unit, have "completed the encirclement" of the Tel al-Sultan area in Rafah, the military said.

Tel al-Sultan was the site of a deadly Israeli strike in late March that killed at least 15 emergency and aid workers, according to the United Nations and other sources. Their bodies and ambulances were found buried under the sand.

The announcement came as Gaza's health ministry reported at least 24 killed and 55 wounded in Israeli attacks on Wednesday. Israeli ground forces continued to advance in the south, two days after ordering evacuations in Rafah and surrounding areas.

The military said troops in Rafah have "located and dismantled dozens of weapons and terrorist infrastructure" and "eliminated dozens of terrorists." Two rockets and a launcher were found inside a building, and suspects were detained for questioning, it said.

During a visit to Gaza, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said the offensive is "expanding" and will "continue to intensify."

"We will preserve operational ambiguity and the element of surprise. The field will speak for itself. The only thing that can halt our further advance is the release of our hostages," Zamir said.

Israel resumed large-scale air and ground assaults on Gaza on March 18, weeks after it cut off food and fuel supplies.

Since then, 1,066 Palestinians have been killed and 2,597 wounded, according to Gaza health officials. The total death toll in Gaza since the war began in October 2023 has risen to 50,423, with 114,638 wounded. Enditem

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