By NAJIB JOBAIN, KAREEM CHEHAYEB and AMY TEIBEL (Associated Press)
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli troops and tanks briefly raided northern Gaza in a single day, the army stated Thursday, participating with Hamas terrorists and concentrating on anti-tank weapons to be able to “prepare the battlefield” earlier than an anticipated floor invasion.
The raid got here after after greater than two weeks of devastating airstrikes within the small, densely-populated territory — with greater than 250 previously 24 hours — and because the U.N. and different world leaders warn of a dire humanitarian disaster getting worse.
Israel has imposed a suffocating siege on Gaza since Hamas’ bloody rampage and hostage-taking throughout southern Israel ignited the battle. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist group by the United States, Canada and the European Union. Residents are operating out of meals, water and medication, and U.N. employees have barely any gas left to assist their reduction missions throughout Gaza, the place greater than 1 million Palestinians have been displaced.
The rising loss of life toll in Gaza is unprecedented within the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian battle. The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza stated Thursday greater than 7,000 Palestinians have died within the battle, a determine that might not be independently verified. Even better lack of life might come if Israel launches a floor offensive aimed toward crushing Hamas, which has dominated Gaza since 2007 and survived 4 earlier wars with Israel.
Israeli airstrikes within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis leveled greater than eight houses belonging to an prolonged household, killing a minimum of 15 individuals. Ambulances raced to the scene as mud from the collapsing buildings hung within the air.
The blast zone was a chaotic wasteland of crumbled concrete and twisted metallic. Rescuers carried wounded individuals lined in grey mud. The physique of a boy was dug out from beneath a concrete slab, the place his head had come to relaxation subsequent to the foot of one other individual entombed within the wreckage.
The Israeli army says it solely strikes militant targets and accuses Hamas of working amongst civilians in an try to guard its fighters. Palestinian militants have hundreds of rockets into Israel because the battle started. One struck a residential constructing within the central metropolis of Petah Tikva, with out wounding anybody.
Hamas’ army wing stated Thursday that Israeli bombardment has up to now killed about 50 of the a minimum of 224 hostages the terrorists kidnapped throughout its Oct. 7 assault. There was no quick remark from Israeli officers, who’ve denied earlier, related claims.
The battle has threatened to ignite a wider battle throughout the area.
Hezbollah, an Iranian-funded ally of Hamas working out of Lebanon, has repeatedly traded fireplace with Israel alongside the border. Israel has carried out airstrikes in Lebanon, Syria and even the occupied West Bank. The United States has despatched to the area two plane provider strike teams with plenty of ships, together with further fighter jets and different weaponry and personnel.
Israel has vowed to crush Hamas’ capability to manipulate Gaza or threaten Israel once more, whereas additionally saying it doesn’t need to reoccupy the territory from which it withdrew troopers and settlers in 2005. That might show a frightening problem, since Hamas is deeply rooted in Gaza, with political and charity organizations in addition to a formidable armed wing.
Benny Gantz, a retired basic and a member of Israel’s battle Cabinet, stated any potential floor offensive could be solely “one stage in a long-term process that includes security, political and social aspects that will take years.”
“The campaign will soon ramp up with greater force,” he added.
During the in a single day raid, troopers killed fighters and destroyed militant infrastructure and anti-tank missile launching positions, the army stated. It stated no Israelis had been wounded. There was no quick affirmation of any Palestinian casualties.
Israeli Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a army spokesman, stated the restricted incursion was “part of our preparations for the next stages of the war.”
Israel additionally stated it had additionally carried out round 250 airstrikes throughout Gaza within the final 24 hours, concentrating on tunnel shafts, rocket launchers and different militant infrastructure. Its reported concentrating on couldn’t be independently verified.
The Gaza Health Ministry says greater than 7,000 Palestinians have been killed within the battle in lower than three weeks, a determine that features the disputed toll from an explosion at a hospital. That is greater than thrice the variety of Palestinians killed within the six-week-long Gaza battle in 2014. The ministry’s toll consists of greater than 2,900 minors and greater than 1,500 girls.
On Wednesday, the spouse, son, daughter and grandson of Wael Dahdouh, a veteran Al-Jazeera correspondent in Gaza, had been killed in an Israeli strike. Dahdouh and different mourners attended the funerals on Thursday sporting the blue flak jackets utilized by reporters within the Palestinian territories.
The preventing has killed greater than 1,400 individuals in Israel, largely civilians slain throughout the preliminary Hamas assault, in keeping with the Israeli authorities.
The warning by the U.N. company for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, over depleting gas provides raised alarm that the humanitarian disaster might rapidly worsen. Israel remains to be barring deliveries of gas — wanted to energy turbines — saying it believes Hamas will take it for army use.
About 1.4 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have fled their houses, with almost half of them crowded into U.N. shelters. Hundreds of hundreds stay in northern Gaza, regardless of Israel ordering them to evacuate to the south, saying those that stay is perhaps thought of “accomplices” of Hamas.
In latest days, Israel has let greater than 70 vehicles with support enter from Egypt, which support employees say is inadequate and solely a tiny fraction of what’s wanted.
“This is … a drop in the ocean,” stated William Schomburg, an official with the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza. “We are trying to establish a pipeline.”
More than half of Gaza’s major well being care amenities and roughly a 3rd of its hospitals have stopped functioning, the World Health Organization stated.
At Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital, the shortage of drugs and clear water have led to “alarming” an infection charges, the group Doctors Without Borders stated. Amputations are sometimes required to forestall an infection from spreading within the wounded, it stated.
Nine Arab international locations – together with key U.S. allies and nations which have signed peace or normalization offers with Israel — issued a joint assertion Thursday calling for a right away ceasefire and an finish to the concentrating on and loss of life of civilians.
“The proper to self protection by the United Nations Charter doesn’t justify blatant violations of humanitarian and worldwide regulation,“ stated the assertion, signed by Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Morocco.
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Chehayeb reported from Beirut and Teibel from Jerusalem. Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Jack Jeffery in Cairo and Brian Melley in London contributed to this report.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”