Israeli airstrikes and shelling resumed in Gaza following a warning from its armed forces chief that the conflict with Hamas, ongoing since the October 7 attacks, will extend for several more months. Khan Yunis saw explosions lighting up the night sky amid intense urban combat, while the Israeli army claimed operational control in Gaza’s north.
Despite this, heavy fighting persisted around Gaza City, with an airstrike injuring 11 individuals near Rafah, a city housing many internally displaced people. The reported death toll of nearly 21,000 Palestinians and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza have spurred calls for an end to the violence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently pledged to continue the campaign against Hamas, recognized as a “terrorist” organization by the United States and the European Union.
“This war’s objectives are essential and not simple to achieve,” armed forces chief Herzi Halevi said late Tuesday. “Therefore, the war will continue for many more months.”
The conflict ignited when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, resulting in approximately 1,140 deaths, primarily civilians, based on figures from Israel as reported by AFP.
During this deadly assault, Palestinian militants reportedly held approximately 250 hostages, with 129 still in captivity according to Israel.
Israel responded with an intense bombardment, followed by a siege and a ground invasion starting from October 27.
As per Gaza’s Hamas-managed health ministry, the ongoing campaign has claimed the lives of at least 20,915 individuals, predominantly women and children.
The Israeli military reported a total of 164 soldiers killed within Gaza.
On Tuesday, Israel returned the bodies of 80 deceased Palestinians from Gaza, ensuring there were no hostages among them, as confirmed by sources from the territory’s health ministry and facilitated through the Red Cross.
An AFP photographer observed a scene where a digger lowered human remains, placed in blue body bags, into a mass grave in Rafah.
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