Israel’s Forces Operate “in the Heart of Gaza City” One Month After Hamas Attacks
Israel declared on Tuesday that its troops were operating “in the heart of Gaza City,” marking one month since the violent attacks by Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a strong warning to Hezbollah in Lebanon, which is also supported by Iran.
Netanyahu stated, “If Hezbollah chooses to join the war, it will be making a grave mistake.” He emphasized Israel’s determination to “destroy Hamas.” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant echoed this sentiment, stating, “We are in the heart of Gaza City. Gaza is the largest terrorist base ever built.”
Additionally, Netanyahu announced that there would be no fuel delivered to Gaza and no ceasefire until the more than 240 hostages held by Hamas were released.
Israel commemorated the one-month milestone with memorial ceremonies and candlelight vigils. The nation mourned the 1,400 lives lost in the attacks, including families killed in their homes and young people at a music festival. The October 7 attacks were the deadliest since Israel’s founding in 1948.
Amidst growing calls for a ceasefire, Netanyahu made it clear that the hostages’ release was a prerequisite. He stated that Israel would assume overall security in Gaza after the war ends but allowed for possible “tactical pauses” to free captives and provide aid.
The United States expressed opposition to a long-term occupation of Gaza by Israel. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel emphasized that Palestinians should be at the forefront of decisions regarding Gaza, asserting that it belongs to them.
Since the attacks, Israel has conducted over 12,000 air and artillery strikes on Gaza and deployed ground forces. The suffering in Gaza has been immense, with entire city blocks destroyed and a high number of casualties, particularly among children. The World Health Organization reported that an average of 160 children are killed daily in Gaza due to the war.
The International Committee of the Red Cross called for an end to the suffering of civilians, especially children, describing the situation as a moral failing. Military analysts warned of weeks of grueling house-to-house fighting ahead in Gaza due to Hamas’s extensive fortifications.
While the US has supported Israel’s war on Hamas, it has also urged restraint and facilitated aid deliveries and the evacuation of foreign passport holders through the Rafah crossing with Egypt.
Netanyahu made it clear that the war would continue until Israel regained overall control of Gaza. He emphasized that there would be no general ceasefire without the release of Israeli hostages, but small tactical pauses may be considered for humanitarian purposes.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, after a Middle East tour, attended a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Tokyo to seek a unified stance on Gaza and the growing calls for a ceasefire. In the occupied West Bank, Blinken suggested that the Palestinian Authority, under President Mahmud Abbas, should regain control of Gaza. Abbas responded that this could only happen with a comprehensive political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
(Note: This article is based on a syndicated feed and has not been edited by NDTV staff except for the headline.)
