An Israeli airstrike on a refugee camp in central Gaza resulted in the deaths of over 30 people late on Saturday, as the conflict between Israel’s military and Hamas continued. Here are 10 key points on the Israel-Hamas war:
1. The battle between Israeli forces and Hamas entered its fifth week on Saturday, with no signs of de-escalation. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is currently in the Middle East for a diplomatic tour, faced anger from Arab leaders during his meetings.
2. Blinken expressed support for “humanitarian pauses” in the clashes and bombings in Gaza to prevent civilian deaths, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled out any possibility of a ceasefire.
3. US President Joe Biden recently mentioned progress in securing a “humanitarian pause,” but did not provide further details. Blinken stated at a press conference in Jordan that the United States believes these efforts will be facilitated by humanitarian pauses.
4. Hamas announced the suspension of the ongoing evacuation of foreigners from Gaza until Israeli forces allowed wounded Palestinians to escape from the besieged Gaza Strip and reach Egypt through the Rafah border crossing for medical treatment.
5. According to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, over 9,480 Gazans, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israeli airstrikes. Hamas claimed that at least 12 people were killed when an Israeli strike hit a United Nations school where thousands were seeking shelter. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres expressed horror at an Israeli strike on a convoy of ambulances in Gaza on Friday.
6. The intense bombing and loss of civilian lives in Gaza have sparked widespread anti-Israeli protests globally. It has also strained Israel’s diplomatic relations, with Turkey recalling its ambassador from Israel and Jordan recalling its ambassador earlier.
7. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held Netanyahu personally responsible for the deaths of women and children in Gaza, stating that Netanyahu was no longer someone they could talk to.
8. Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, the Israeli chief of staff, visited ground forces inside Gaza as they completely surrounded Gaza City. Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant stated that their forces were fighting hard and operating from the south and north of Gaza City, having entered populated areas.
9. Israel has referred to Gaza City as “the center of the Hamas terror organization.” However, according to US special envoy for aid assistance David Satterfield, between 350,000 to 400,000 civilians still remain in the city and surrounding areas.
10. Israel has vowed to completely destroy Hamas as an act of vengeance for the October 7 attack that killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians. Israel claims to have targeted 12,000 sites across Palestinian territory since that day, in what is being described as one of the most intense bombing campaigns in history.
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