The Israeli army now wants to begin the next phase of the offensive to destroy the terrorist organization Hamas. Armed forces are ready to directly attack Hamas fighters in their underground tunnels and bunkers in the northern Gaza Strip, military spokesman Richard Hecht announced on Monday.
“Now we’re going to get closer to them,” Hecht said. This means they would be attacked above ground and underground. The military spokesman reported that the city of Gaza in the north was now surrounded and that an important milestone had been reached.
New wave of air strikes
The spokesperson made the comments a few hours after a massive wave of attacks by the Israeli air force on the densely populated coastal strip. The military announced early Monday that about 450 targets had been bombed from the air in the past 24 hours. These include tunnels, military facilities and launch pads for Hamas anti-tank missiles. In addition, the troops on the ground took over a military complex. The military said “several Hamas terrorists” were killed during the operation.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that more than 200 people were killed in the overnight attacks. As usual, the Hamas-led ministry described the dead as “martyrs.”
Ground troops fight their way forward
In the combat zone, Israeli ground forces continue to advance slowly but surely, with massive support from tank units and artillery. House by house, street by street, they fight their way forward. Soldiers say the Hamas terrorists have largely hidden in the tunnel systems beneath the buildings and will attack from there. The hidden entrances to the underground system are often equipped with booby traps.
Missile ramps in scout house
During their offensive in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces said they discovered Hamas rocket launchers in a children’s playground, a children’s swimming pool and near residential buildings. A video also shows missile batteries set up in a scout house (see tweet below).
The Israeli army has now completely divided the Gaza Strip into two areas: the north, where the battle with Hamas terrorists has reached one of its climaxes after the complete encirclement of Gaza City, and the south, which is also not a ‘safe zone’ . As Israel emphasizes, it is much safer for civilians than the north.
‘Gaza will become a cemetery for children’
UN Secretary General António Guterres described the situation in the Gaza Strip as a “crisis of humanity”. He reiterated his calls for the immediate release of the hostages taken to Gaza and a humanitarian ceasefire. “Gaza is becoming a graveyard for children,” Guterres told reporters in New York on Monday. Several UN organizations had previously called for an immediate ceasefire, given the high number of civilian casualties and the critical supply situation in the Gaza Strip.
700,000 people followed calls to evacuate
Israel has so far rejected international calls for a ceasefire. Instead, there were several ceasefires that forced residents of the northern Gaza Strip to move south. Such a time window was also mentioned on Monday and a corridor was opened for citizens (see video above). According to the Israeli military, 700,000 Gaza Strip residents have already responded to repeated calls to evacuate. The United Nations speaks of 1.4 million internally displaced people in the densely populated area.
The Israeli military also said the dropping of medical supplies by a Jordanian aircraft over the Gaza Strip was carried out “in coordination” with Israel. Jordan’s King Abdullah II had earlier announced that the Jordanian air force had dropped medical supplies overnight at a Jordanian field hospital in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, the EU announced that it would intensify its humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that aid would be increased by 25 million euros to a total of 100 million euros. EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell proposed a ceasefire, which would also allow the Red Cross to reach the hostages.
The US sent a nuclear-capable submarine
The US also announced an expansion of humanitarian aid. At the same time, the United States has increased its military deterrence efforts. In an unusual move, the US military announced on Monday that a nuclear-capable submarine had arrived in the Middle East. This announcement was welcomed by Israel.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
