The news from the Gaza Strip and Palestinian Territories reports that Hamas has stated its fighters are engaged in intense combat in Gaza, where Israel has increased ground operations. World leaders are emphasizing the need for more aid to be delivered to the Hamas-controlled territory following weeks of siege and bombardment. Protests for a cease-fire are happening worldwide, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has prepared his nation for what he called a “long and difficult war.”
Despite calls for a humanitarian truce, international outrage, and concerns for hostages in Gaza, Israel has escalated the conflict triggered by Hamas’s unprecedented attack. On October 7, Hamas militants crossed the Gaza border in what is described as the deadliest attack in Israel’s history, resulting in the death of 1,400 people, primarily civilians, and the kidnapping of 239 others, including many migrant workers.
According to the latest figures from the Israeli army spokesman, Daniel Hagari, the retaliatory Israeli bombardment, since then, has claimed more than 8,000 lives, mostly civilians, including a significant number of children. Panic and fear have engulfed the Palestinian territory, where more than half of the 2.4 million residents have been displaced, and thousands of buildings have been destroyed.
Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, announced that its fighters are heavily engaged in fighting against Israeli forces in northwest Gaza. Israel’s army has declared that a new stage of the conflict began with ground incursions starting late Friday, which marks an escalation from earlier brief operations.
World leaders, including US President Joe Biden and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt, have stressed the need to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed growing desperation as casualties rise and essential supplies like food, water, medicine, and shelter become scarce.
Hamas official Musa Abu Marzouk called on Egypt to take decisive action to expedite aid delivery to Gaza, and the situation in the region continues to deteriorate as fighting and airstrikes persist. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported repeated bombings around Al-Quds hospital in central Gaza, and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, noted that thousands of people had broken into its warehouses to obtain basic necessities.
Israel announced its commitment to allowing 100 aid trucks into Gaza daily, as suggested by the UN, but the military has continued to strike hundreds of Hamas targets and increase ground forces in Gaza. Israel’s stated goal is to “eradicate” Hamas.
The situation is dire, with communication disrupted in Gaza due to internet lines being cut, although some connectivity was gradually being restored. As the conflict intensifies, there are concerns about the safety of hostages held by Hamas and fears that other hostile groups in the region may become involved, further complicating the situation. Violence has also increased in the occupied West Bank since the October 7 attacks, resulting in a significant number of Palestinian casualties.
Source: AFP
