Israeli troops battle Hamas militants in southern Gaza

The military launched its floor invasion in Gaza’s north, sending in troops and tanks to destroy Hamas and free hostages taken in unprecedented October 7 cross-border assaults.

After an air and floor assault that has displaced tens of 1000’s and diminished a lot of the north to rubble, the military stated it had moved south because it targets “Hamas strongholds all through the Gaza Strip”.

Israeli tanks, armoured personnel carriers and bulldozers have been seen close to the southern Gaza metropolis of Khan Yunis, forcing already displaced civilians to pack up and flee once more, witnesses informed AFP.

With prime Hamas leaders nonetheless at giant and plenty of hostages nonetheless in militant arms, the Israeli military stated it was taking “aggressive” motion towards Palestinian militants in Khan Yunis, Gaza’s second-largest metropolis.

Israel declared conflict on Hamas after the militant group’s October 7 assaults that killed 1,200 individuals, largely civilians, and which noticed round 240 hostages taken, in response to Israeli authorities.

In retaliation for the worst assault in its historical past, Israel has vowed to eradicate Hamas and safe the discharge of all of the hostages held within the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas-run well being ministry in Gaza says the conflict has killed practically 15,900 individuals within the territory, round 70 % of them ladies and kids.

– ‘Nowhere protected’ –

Worldwide help organisations have warned that civilians within the densely populated Strip are operating out of locations to flee to.

“Nowhere is protected in Gaza and there’s nowhere left to go,” stated Lynn Hastings, UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories.

“If doable, an much more hellish situation is about to unfold, one during which humanitarian operations might not have the ability to reply,” Hastings stated in a press release.

Ambulances, vans and different automobiles delivered extra bloodied, dust-covered casualties to Khan Yunis’s Nasser hospital, together with youngsters.

Mohammed Saloul stated he had obtained a name saying his sister had been killed in an air strike on a college the place displaced individuals have been sheltering.

“We headed there and requested the medics to assist us however they stated they could not entry it, so we needed to carry her physique ourselves,” he stated.

After visiting one other medical facility within the metropolis, the European Hospital, Worldwide Committee of the Pink Cross president Mirjana Spoljaric stated she noticed horrors that have been laborious to explain.

“What shocked me probably the most have been the kids with atrocious accidents and on the similar time having misplaced their dad and mom with nobody taking care of them,” she stated in a video.

Their belongings piled onto donkey carts, battered automobiles and even camels, Gazans headed south to attempt to escape the increasing Israeli offensive.

An estimated 1.8 million persons are displaced in Gaza — roughly three-quarters of the inhabitants, in response to UN figures.

An Israeli order for individuals to maneuver from Khan Yunis to the southern metropolis of Rafah “created panic, concern and nervousness”, in response to Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN company for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

Folks have been being pushed into an space that’s lower than one-third of the Gaza Strip, with roads to the south clogged, he stated.

In northern Gaza, the army stated it had encircled the Jabalia refugee camp and in addition raided a Hamas Inside Safety Forces command and management centre.

It stated the variety of Israeli troopers killed because the conflict started had risen to 80.

The World Well being Group stated that it had virtually fully emptied its help warehouses in southern Gaza after being “suggested” by Israel’s military that “lively fight” was looming.

Israel has denied that it ordered the WHO to empty its two warehouses in Khan Yunis.

– Communications blackout –

Key ally the USA has cautioned Israel to do extra to avert civilian casualties as operations shift to the south.

Israel on Monday stated it was not in search of to drive Palestinian civilians to completely depart their houses, however that it was as a substitute in search of assist from help teams to enhance infrastructure in a tiny coastal space of Gaza named Al-Mawasi.

In addition to dropping leaflets telling Palestinian civilians to evacuate, the military has been warning individuals in Gaza to depart sure areas forward of impending strikes by way of messages to cell phones.

However on Monday, all cell and phone providers have been minimize throughout Gaza, in response to Palestinian telecommunications agency Paltel.

Media staff have paid a heavy value reporting on the battle.

The Committee to Shield Journalists, a New York-based rights group, stated it had documented 63 journalists and media staff killed within the conflict: 56 Palestinians, 4 Israelis and three Lebanese.

The preventing follows the collapse on Friday of a Qatar-mediated truce that noticed scores of Israeli and different hostages launched in change for Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas has dominated out extra releases till a everlasting ceasefire is agreed.

Qatar’s ruler, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, stated his nation was “always working to resume” the truce and denounced what he referred to as “shameful” worldwide inaction over the conflict.

The conflict has sparked fears of a wider regional battle, with frequent exchanges of fireplace with Iran-backed Hezbollah throughout Israel’s border with Lebanon.

The Israeli army stated its fighter jets had struck Hezbollah positions in response to cross-border hearth from Lebanon.

The Lebanese military stated one among its troopers was killed by Israeli hearth on Tuesday — the primary such dying since cross-border hostilities started in October.

The Israel-occupied West Financial institution has additionally seen a surge in violence, with greater than 250 Palestinians killed there because the conflict started, in response to Palestinian authorities.

burs-dr/fz

Initially revealed as Israeli troops battle Hamas militants in southern Gaza