Israel attacks Gaza City from the air and from the ground

2023-12-27 17:02:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Israel attacks Gaza City from the air and from the ground

An Israeli tank moves along the border with the Gaza Strip and southern Israel (December 27, 2023)

Israeli forces carried out new airstrikes on Wednesday in several parts of the Gaza Strip. A day ago, Israeli officials' comments on the expansion of ground military operations raised concerns in the United Nations about the fate of the civilian population, VOA reports .

On Wednesday, Israel carried out ground and air strikes on Gaza City, which lies in the northern part of the region, where Israel initially focused its military campaign to eliminate the militant group Hamas.

This week, operations were also carried out in the central part of Gaza, including those areas where numerous refugee camps are located.

Most of the region's population has been forced to leave their homes due to the fighting. They are crammed into overcrowded shelters as they struggle to get out of areas where Israel says it will launch attacks. Humanitarian aid deliveries have been limited by the fighting, creating severe shortages of food, water and fuel.

"There is no short cut in dismantling a terrorist organization ," Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi said Tuesday, referring to Hamas.

The escalation of fighting in central Gaza prompted the United Nations to raise the alarm on Tuesday over the impact Israeli attacks are having on the civilian population. More than 100 Palestinians were killed in two days this week.

Smoke appears over the city of Khan Yunis after Israeli airstrikes (December 27, 2023)

"Israeli forces must take all available measures to protect civilians. Warnings and evacuation orders do not absolve them of their obligations under international humanitarian law," said the spokesman for the UN Human Rights Office. , Seif Magango.

The White House said that President Joe Biden had a telephone conversation with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani regarding the increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza.

A White House statement also said that "the two leaders also discussed the urgent need to secure the release of all hostages still being held by Hamas, including American citizens."

Qatar and Egypt brokered a brief ceasefire and hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas in late November. But current diplomatic efforts have failed.

The White House also announced that Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met on Tuesday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan for talks on several issues related to the conflict in Gaza.

A White House official said Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Dermer discussed the need to move to another phase of the war, to focus on hitting key Hamas targets. The two senior officials also discussed plans for post-war Gaza, including regional governance and security.

On October 7, Hamas militants carried out a terrorist attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking another 240 hostages, of whom 129 remain in the hands of the militant group.

In response, Israel vowed to destroy Hamas by launching an air, ground and naval assault on Gaza. As a result of the Israeli offensive, around 21,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is controlled by Hamas, which does not make a distinction between the civilian population and the number of militants killed.