Escalation of Israeli Bombing on Gaza
The fighting in the Gaza Strip intensified on Thursday with some of the heaviest Israeli bombardments in the war, and Hamas launched rockets at Tel Aviv, even as the adversaries were engaged in some of the most serious talks in weeks about a new ceasefire.
The Israeli army heavily bombarded Gaza in the northern region, where orange flashes of explosions could be seen from across the fence in Israel in the morning. Later, Israeli aircraft flew over central and southern areas, dropping bombs that released columns of smoke, according to residents.
Rockets Fired by Hamas
The armed wing of Hamas announced that it had launched rockets in response to the killing of civilians by Israelis. But with the group’s leader in Cairo for ceasefire talks, the attack appeared to be timed to send a message that 11 weeks of war had failed to destroy the fighters’ capability to strike.
Both sides remained very far apart publicly. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that he would continue fighting until Hamas was eliminated, the Palestinian group that sent fighters across the border into southern Israel on October 7, taking around 240 hostages and killing 1,200 people. “Surrender or death,” he said to Hamas in a statement.
The Humanitarian Situation in Gaza
Since the start of the conflict, nearly 20,000 Palestinians have been confirmed dead in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, and it’s believed that many more bodies are trapped under the rubble. Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced from their homes.
In a social media post, the Palestinian Red Crescent said that first aid teams could not reach a large number of victims inside Jabalia.
“We have received multiple calls regarding the ongoing shelling on Al-Banna and Nazla streets in Jabalia, northern Gaza, with many martyrs and injured trapped there. Unfortunately, emergency teams and rescue teams have been unable to reach them,” according to the statement.
Serious Talks and Wide Public Disparities
As clashes continued, diplomatic efforts increased in recent days of the year to avoid a humanitarian disaster and agree on a new ceasefire to release some of the hostages held by Hamas, the group that controls the Gaza Strip and has vowed to destroy Israel.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniya was in Egypt for the second day of negotiations, a rare personal intervention in the past that indicates important phases in diplomacy. Islamic Jihad stated that its leader was also on his way there.
White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday: “These are very serious talks and negotiations, and we hope they will lead to tangible results.” U.S. President Joe Biden said, “We are pushing.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen confirmed that negotiations for the release of hostages were ongoing but refused to provide details. He reiterated Israel’s position that the war would not end as long as Hamas controls Gaza, saying that there was no talk of reducing intensity, at least in the coming weeks.
The Humanitarian Situation in Gaza
Since the start of the conflict, nearly 20,000 Palestinians have been confirmed dead in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, and it’s believed that many more bodies are trapped under the rubble. Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced from their homes.
In a social media post, the Palestinian Red Crescent said that first aid teams could not reach a large number of victims inside Jabalia.
“We have received multiple calls regarding the ongoing shelling on Al-Banna and Nazla streets in Jabalia, northern Gaza, with many martyrs and injured trapped there. Unfortunately, emergency teams and rescue teams have been unable to reach them,” according to the statement.
Escalation
Israeli Bombardment on Gaza
The fighting in the Gaza Strip escalated on Thursday with some of the most intense Israeli bombardment in the war, and Hamas fired rockets at Tel Aviv, even as the foes engaged in some of the most serious talks in weeks about a new truce.
The Israeli military carried out intensive bombings in Gaza, particularly in the northern part of the territory, where flashes of orange explosions could be seen from across the border in Israel in the morning. Later, Israeli aircraft flew over the central and southern areas, dropping bombs that sent up pillars of smoke, residents reported.
Rocket Launches by Hamas
The armed wing of Hamas announced that it had launched rockets in response to the killing of civilians by Israelis. However, with the group’s leader in Cairo for truce talks, the attack seemed timed to send a message that 11 weeks of war have failed to destroy the fighters’ ability to strike.
The two sides remained very far apart publicly. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed that he would continue fighting until Hamas was eliminated, the Palestinian group that sent fighters across the border into southern Israel on October 7, taking about 240 hostages and killing 1,200 people. “Surrender or death,” he said to Hamas in a statement.
The Humanitarian Situation in Gaza
Since the start of the conflict, nearly 20,000 Palestinians have been confirmed killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian health ministry, and it is believed that there are many more bodies trapped under the rubble. Almost all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced from their homes.
In a social media post, the Palestinian Red Crescent said that first responders are unable to reach a large number of victims inside Jabalia.
“We have received several calls regarding the ongoing bombardment on Al-Bana and Nazla streets in Jabalia, northern Gaza, with many martyrs and injured trapped there. Unfortunately, emergency and rescue teams have been unable to reach them,” according to the statement.
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