The Hamas-led Well being Ministry in Gaza mentioned on Sunday that the dying toll within the war-torn Palestinian territory had surpassed 25,000, as Israel continued its offensive south and renewed its bombing marketing campaign within the north.
Israel continues its strain on Hamas in southern Gaza because it seeks to destroy the Islamist militant group liable for the deadliest assault within the nation’s historical past.
In early January, the Israeli army mentioned Hamas’ command construction in northern Gaza had been dismantled, leaving solely remoted fighters.
However witnesses informed AFP that Israeli boats bombarded Gaza Metropolis and different areas within the north early Sunday. Hamas has additionally reported heavy preventing within the north.
“Dozens nonetheless lie below the rubble,” the Hamas authorities media workplace mentioned, including that the useless and wounded “couldn’t be transferred to hospitals as a result of continued artillery shelling of… Khan Yunis and the Tal al-Hawa space in Gaza Metropolis and the north”.
The Israeli military mentioned it “eradicated a variety of terrorists” in the principle southern city of Khan Yunis and killed 15 militants in northern Gaza previously day.
Thick plumes of smoke billowed over Khan Yunis on Sunday morning, AFP journalists noticed.
Hamas’s October 7 assaults resulted within the deaths of about 1,140 folks, largely civilians, based on an AFP rely based mostly on official Israeli figures.
Israel’s brutal bombing and floor offensive in Gaza have killed no less than 25,105 folks, largely ladies and kids, based on the Hamas-led Well being Ministry.
– ‘Troublesome circumstances’ in tunnel –
Militants additionally seized about 250 hostages throughout the October assaults.
Israel says about 132 stay in Gaza, of whom no less than 27 prisoners are believed to have been killed, based on an AFP rely based mostly on Israeli figures.
In a briefing on Saturday night, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari mentioned troops had discovered a tunnel in Khan Yunis the place some hostages had beforehand been held.
Proof of their presence included work, together with of a five-year-old prisoner, he mentioned.
“About twenty hostages” had been held there at varied instances “in troublesome circumstances with out daylight…with little oxygen and horrible humidity.”
Troopers entered the tunnel and fought a battle with militants during which “the terrorists have been eradicated,” Hagari mentioned.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is below intense strain to return the hostages and take accountability for safety failures surrounding the October assaults.
1000’s protested throughout Israel on Saturday night to demand the discharge of the hostages and early elections to oust Netanyahu.
Avi Lulu Shamriz, the daddy of Alon Shamriz, a hostage unintentionally killed by Israeli forces earlier within the warfare, informed AFP in Tel Aviv that Netanyahu’s warfare cupboard was heading for catastrophe.
“The best way we’re going, all of the hostages will die. It is not too late to free them.’
– Devastating assault on the West Financial institution –
The U.N. Company for Palestinian Refugees says about 1.7 million folks have been displaced in Gaza, together with about 1,000,000 within the Rafah space.
UN companies have warned that higher entry to help is urgently wanted as famine and illness loom.
Diplomatic efforts have sought to safe elevated help provides to Gaza and a ceasefire after Hamas launched dozens of hostages in alternate for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel in November following a week-long cessation of hostilities.
Qatar-based Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was in Turkey on Saturday for talks with the overseas minister, diplomatic sources mentioned, renewing ties with the highest regional energy that requested the group’s leaders to go away the nation after the assaults in October.
Since October 7, violence has elevated within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution.
The Israeli military mentioned it demolished two homes in Hebron owned by two Palestinian gunmen who carried out an assault on a highway between Jerusalem and Bethlehem in November.
An AFP journalist noticed a fireball erupt and smoke rise from a home on Sunday as Israeli armored automobiles maneuvered by way of Hebron’s roads throughout the raid.
Palestinians gathered exterior the crumpled stays of one of many homes on Sunday, as younger boys picked their manner by way of a thicket of tangled steel and rubble.
One man eliminated a banner that Israeli forces had connected to a destroyed home that learn: “Terrorism has no residence.”
The official Palestinian information company Wafa reported clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters in a village south of Jenin and the cities of Arura and Qalqilya.
Rising tensions and violence within the Center East have additionally fueled fears of a broader conflagration involving Iranian-backed teams in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
Iranian media mentioned an Israeli strike on Damascus on Saturday killed the spy chief of Syria’s Revolutionary Guards and 4 different Guard members, prompting a risk of retaliation.
