Israel has announced that its forces have entered the “heart of Gaza City” as part of their ongoing campaign against Hamas, following the October terror attacks. This operation has been ongoing for over a month in the besieged Palestinian territory. Here are the top 10 points regarding this significant development:
1. Israel has made a commitment to destroy Hamas after a surprise attack by their operatives on border towns resulted in the death of at least 1,400 people. Since then, Israeli forces have been engaged in a counterattack, conducting heavy aerial attacks that have claimed the lives of over 10,000 people in the Palestinian territory.
2. Israel’s ground forces are now focused on locating and destroying the extensive tunnel network constructed by Hamas beneath the besieged enclave. The country’s combat engineering corps is employing explosives to dismantle a tunnel system that spans hundreds of kilometers.
3. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a warning to Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, stating that it would be a mistake for them to enter the war. In a televised address marking a month of the conflict, he emphasized that no fuel will be delivered to Gaza unless Hamas releases the hostages held across the border. Additionally, he ruled out any ceasefire until these conditions are met.
4. Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, reiterated the country’s determination to “destroy Hamas” and declared that their forces have reached the “heart of Gaza City.” He referred to Gaza as the largest terrorist base ever constructed.
5. A convoy from the Red Cross, carrying vital medical supplies, was attacked in Gaza City. Two trucks were damaged, and a driver was injured in the incident. The Red Cross did not specify who was responsible for the attack, but the convoy altered its route and managed to deliver the supplies to Al-Shifa hospital.
6. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that one of its employees and several members of his family were killed when their Gaza home in a refugee camp collapsed due to bombing. MSF condemned the indiscriminate bombing, stating that no place in Gaza is safe.
7. Israel has declared its intention to assume “overall security” in Gaza after the war concludes, while also allowing for “tactical pauses” to release hostages and deliver aid. However, the United States has opposed any long-term Israeli occupation of Gaza, emphasizing the need for Palestinians to be involved in decision-making within the region.
8. Israel’s intensified military operations in the Gaza Strip have raised concerns for the 2.4 million inhabitants. The UN rights chief described the past month as a period of “carnage, incessant suffering, bloodshed, destruction, outrage, and despair.”
9. The people of Gaza are enduring immense suffering, with entire city blocks reduced to rubble by Israeli airstrikes. Surgeons are operating under phone flashlights, and the World Health Organization reports an average of 160 children killed each day in Gaza due to the war.
10. The United States stated that over 400 of its citizens have left Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt. Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinians with foreign passports are waiting for their turn to leave. The Rafah crossing has opened for wounded Palestinians, foreigners, and dual nationals for the fifth time in the past week.
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