By NAJIB JOBAIN, SAMY MAGDY and LEE KEATH (Associated Press)
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli troops and tanks pushed deeper into Gaza on Monday, advancing on two sides of the territory’s most important metropolis, because the U.N. and medical workers warned that airstrikes have hit nearer to hospitals the place tens of 1000’s of Palestinians have sought shelter alongside 1000’s of wounded.
Video circulating on social media confirmed an Israeli tank and bulldozer in central Gaza blocking the territory’s most important north-south freeway, which the Israeli navy earlier advised Palestinians to make use of to flee the increasing floor offensive. Hundreds of 1000’s of Palestinians who stay within the north would now not be capable of escape if the highway is blocked because it’s the one useable route south.
When requested whether or not forces had positioned on the highway, Israeli navy spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari stated “we expanded our operations” however wouldn’t touch upon particular deployments.
The video, taken by a neighborhood journalist, exhibits a automotive approaching an earth barrier throughout the highway. The automotive stops and turns round. As it heads away, a tank seems to open hearth, and an explosion engulfs the automotive. The journalist, in one other automotive, races away in terror, screaming, “Go back! Go back!” at an approaching ambulance and different autos. The Gaza Health Ministry later stated three folks have been killed within the automotive that was hit.
The Hamas motion ruling Gaza launched a video Monday purporting to indicate three ladies captured throughout its Oct. 7 assault inside Israel. One of the ladies delivers a short assertion, probably below duress, criticizing Israel’s response to the hostage disaster. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist group by the United States, Canada and the European Union.
Hamas and different militants captured round 240 folks throughout the lethal raid and have stated they’ll launch them in return for 1000’s of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Israel has dismissed the provide.
The Israeli advances put their forces on each side of Gaza City and the encompassing areas of northern Gaza, in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to as a “second stage” of the struggle ignited by Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7 incursion. Casualties on each side are anticipated to rise sharply if Israeli forces develop their floor operation and find yourself battling Palestinian militants in dense residential areas.
Though Israel ordered Palestinians to flee the north, the place Gaza City is positioned, and transfer south, a whole lot of 1000’s stay, partly as a result of Israel has additionally bombarded targets in so-called secure zones. Around 117,000 displaced folks hoping to remain secure from strikes are staying in hospitals in northern Gaza, alongside 1000’s of sufferers and workers, based on U.N. figures.
The loss of life toll amongst Palestinians handed 8,300, largely ladies and kids, the Gaza Health Ministry stated Monday. The determine is with out precedent in many years of Israeli-Palestinian violence. More than 1.4 million folks in Gaza have fled their properties.
Over 1,400 folks have died on the Israeli facet, primarily civilians killed throughout Hamas’ preliminary assault, additionally an unprecedented determine.
Israeli forces gave the impression to be driving deeper into Gaza from the north. Video launched Monday by the navy confirmed armored autos transferring amongst buildings and troopers taking positions inside a home.
Hagari stated extra infantry, armored, engineering and artillery items had entered Gaza and the operations would proceed to “expand and intensify,” although Israel has stopped in need of calling its operations an all-out invasion.
The navy stated Monday that in a single day its troops had killed dozens of militants who attacked from inside buildings and tunnels. It stated that in the previous couple of days, it had struck greater than 600 militant targets, together with weapons depots and antitank missile launching positions. The experiences of focusing on couldn’t be independently confirmed.
Hamas’ navy wing stated its fighters clashed with Israeli troops who entered the northwest Gaza Strip. Palestinian militants have continued firing rockets into Israel, together with towards its industrial hub, Tel Aviv.
Meanwhile, crowded hospitals in northern Gaza got here below rising risk. Strikes hit close to Gaza City’s Shifa and Al Quds hospitals and the Indonesian and Turkish hospitals in northern Gaza in latest days, the U.N. and residents stated Monday.
All 10 hospitals working in northern Gaza have acquired evacuation orders, the U.N.’s workplace for the coordination of humanitarian affairs stated. Staff have refused to depart, saying evacuation would imply loss of life for sufferers on ventilators.
Tens of 1000’s of civilians are sheltering in Shifa Hospital, the territory’s largest. Israel accuses Hamas of getting a secret command submit beneath the hospital however has not offered a lot proof. Hamas denies the allegations.
Strikes hit inside 50 meters (yards) of Al Quds Hospital after it acquired two calls from Israeli authorities on Sunday ordering it to evacuate, the Palestinian Red Crescent rescue service stated. Some home windows have been blown out, and rooms have been lined in particles. It stated 14,000 individuals are sheltering there
Israel says it targets Hamas fighters and infrastructure and that the militants function amongst civilians, placing them in peril.
Beyond the combating, circumstances for civilians in Gaza are frequently deteriorating as meals, water, drugs and gas run dangerously low amid a weekslong Israeli siege.
On Sunday, the most important convoy of humanitarian assist but — 33 vans — entered the territory from Egypt. Relief staff say the quantity continues to be far lower than what is required for the inhabitants of two.3 million folks.
The siege has pushed Gaza’s infrastructure almost to break down. With no central energy for weeks and little gas, hospitals are struggling to maintain emergency turbines working to function incubators and different life-saving gear. The U.N. company for Palestinian refugees, referred to as UNRWA, has been attempting to maintain water pumps and bakeries working. Last week, U.N. officers stated starvation was rising.
On Saturday, crowds of individuals broke into 4 U.N. services and took meals provides in what the U.N referred to as an indication that civil order was beginning to break down amid rising desperation.
Israel additionally opened two water strains in southern Gaza throughout the previous week, based on the Israeli navy physique accountable for Palestinian civilian affairs. The Associated Press couldn’t independently confirm that both line was functioning. Communications have been restored to most of Gaza on Sunday greater than a day with out telephone and web providers.
Meanwhile, home stress has elevated on Israel’s authorities to safe the discharge of 239 hostages seized by Hamas fighters throughout the Oct. 7 assault. Desperate members of the family of the Israeli captives met with Netanyahu on Saturday and expressed assist for an change.
The combating has raised considerations that the violence may unfold throughout the area. Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have engaged in day by day skirmishes alongside Israel’s northern border.
In the West Bank, Israel stated its warplanes carried out airstrikes Monday towards militants clashing with its forces within the Jenin refugee camp, the scene of repeated Israeli raids. Hamas stated 4 of its fighters have been killed there. As of Sunday, Israeli forces and settlers have killed 115 Palestinians, together with 33 kids, within the West Bank, half of them throughout search-and-arrest operations, the U.N. stated.
The Israeli navy stated early Monday that its plane hit navy infrastructure in Syria after rockets from there fell in open Israeli territory. Syrian opposition teams stated strikes destroyed three vans getting into jap Syria from Iraq, and shortly after Iranian-backed militias fired rockets at U.S. positions in Syria.
Roughly 250,000 Israelis have been evacuated from their properties due to violence alongside the border with Gaza and the northern border with Lebanon, based on the Israeli navy.
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Magdy reported from Cairo, and Keath from Athens, Greece. Associated Press writers Julia Frankel and Amy Teibel in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
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Full AP protection: https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”