The conflict in Gaza escalates as Netanyahu refuses to agree to a halt in fighting.
On Monday, the Israeli military advanced into Gaza, using tanks and other heavily armored vehicles to reach the main city and rescue a soldier who was being held by Hamas fighters. Despite calls for a halt in hostilities, the Israeli leader refused and continued to launch airstrikes, which landed dangerously close to hospitals where many Palestinians seeking refuge are also tending to the injured.
On Tuesday, the military announced that Nasim Abu Ajina, one of the leaders responsible for the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel, had been killed. The military stated that his death would greatly impede Hamas’ ability to defend against Israeli ground forces.
2 – 1 ratio is a “conservative” estimate
The armed forces stated that a ratio of 2 to 1 is considered a “cautious” approximation.
A soldier who was taken prisoner during Hamas’ violent attack on October 7th was successfully saved.2014 war
The initial rescue in Gaza following the 2014 conflict. weekslong war
The start was made. Officials from the military did not give much information, but stated that Pvt. Ori Megidish, 19, was in good condition and had reunited with her family.
Announced a fresh “stage” in the conflict, but refrained from officially declaring a full-scale ground attack.
Bigger ground maneuvers have been initiated.
Israel claims that a significant portion of Hamas’ military resources, as well as numerous tunnels spanning hundreds of miles, are located in Gaza City, which is situated in the northern and eastern regions. Prior to the war, Gaza City had a population of over 650,000 people, similar to that of Washington, D.C.
Civilians in Gaza are in danger.
Despite Israel’s orders for Palestinians to relocate from the northern region, where Gaza City is situated, to the south, many have chosen to stay due to the fact that Israel has also attacked so-called safe areas. Approximately 117,000 displaced individuals seeking refuge have sought shelter in hospitals in northern Gaza, alongside thousands of hospital patients and staff members, according to the United Nations.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reports that approximately 672,000 Palestinians are seeking refuge in its schools and other facilities, which are currently operating at four times their intended capacity.
Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, accused Israel of inflicting “collective punishment” on the Palestinian people and forcibly displacing them from northern Gaza to the unsafe southern region.
On Monday, the Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, reported that the number of Palestinian fatalities has surpassed 8,300. The majority of these casualties were women and children. This is a record-breaking number in the long history of conflict between Israel and Palestine. Additionally, over 1.4 million individuals in Gaza have been displaced from their residences.
According to Israel, more than 1,400 individuals have lost their lives on the Israeli side. The majority of these casualties were non-combatants who were killed during Hamas’ initial strike, which is an extraordinary number.
According to Lazzarini, 64 employees of the agency have lost their lives in the last three weeks. The most recent incident occurred just hours before he spoke at an urgent U.N. Security Council meeting. A security official, along with his wife and eight children, were killed.
According to him, the majority of Palestinians in Gaza are “stuck in a conflict that they have no involvement in.”
A video shared on social media depicted an Israeli tank and bulldozer obstructing the primary north-south highway in central Gaza.
A video captured by a nearby reporter depicts a vehicle driving towards a barricade on the road. The car comes to a halt and makes a U-turn. As it drives away, a tank can be seen firing and causing an explosion that consumes the car. The reporter, who is in a separate vehicle, frantically speeds away while shouting “Turn around! Turn around!” to other approaching cars.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported that three individuals were fatally injured in the vehicle that was struck.
Hospitals are currently considered to be a hazardous area.
At the same time, hospitals in the northern region of Gaza were facing an increasing danger due to high levels of overcrowding.
The Health Ministry in Gaza released a video showing a blast and plume of smoke near the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, which serves cancer patients. The director of the hospital, Dr. Sobhi Skaik, reported that the strike caused damage and put patients at risk.
According to the United Nations’ office for coordinating humanitarian affairs, evacuation orders have been given to the 10 hospitals in northern Gaza. However, the staff have rejected the orders, stating that evacuating would result in the death of patients who are dependent on ventilators.
The Palestinian Red Crescent rescue service reported that strikes occurred within 50 yards of Al Quds Hospital on Sunday, following two calls from Israeli authorities ordering an evacuation. As a result, some windows were shattered and debris covered rooms. Currently, the hospital is providing shelter for 14,000 individuals.
The Israeli government claims to focus on attacking Hamas members and their facilities, citing that the militants often blend in with civilian populations, putting innocent lives at risk.
In addition to the ongoing conflict, the living conditions for non-combatants in Gaza are steadily worsening.
Hospitals are facing challenges in maintaining emergency generators to power incubators and other critical equipment due to a lack of central power and limited fuel. UNRWA is working to keep water pumps and bakeries operational.
This past Sunday, a convoy of 33 trucks carrying humanitarian aid arrived in the territory from Egypt, followed by another 26 trucks on Monday. However, relief workers state that this is still insufficient to meet the needs of the 2.3 million people living there.
The conflict has sparked worries that the aggression may extend to surrounding areas. Israel and the militant organization Hezbollah in Lebanon have been involved in daily clashes along the northern border of Israel.
The United States has accused Iran-backed groups of a recent increase in rocket and drone attacks, with at least 14 in Iraq and nine in Syria since October 17. In response, the Pentagon conducted strikes last week on sites in Syria that were allegedly connected to Iran.
Israel conducted airstrikes on Monday in the West Bank, where militants were engaged in clashes with Israeli forces in the Jenin refugee camp. According to Hamas, four of its fighters were killed in the attack. The U.N. reported that as of Sunday, 123 Palestinians (including 33 minors) have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank, with half of the fatalities occurring during search-and-arrest operations.
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Source: cbsnews.com