As Israel’s ground operations in Gaza intensify, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear on Monday that his country would not consent to a ceasefire. Although the Bible mentions a time for peace, he insisted that “this is a time for war.”
A spokesman for Hamas, meanwhile, declared that Israel had not succeeded in reaching Gaza “except in certain limited areas” and referred to the humanitarian crisis as “disastrous” inside the enclave.
It is evident that Israeli troops have taken positions well into the strip; CNN crews reported on Monday that they saw armored personnel carriers moving inside the border fence. The Israel Defense Forces have not disclosed specifics about how far it has pushed.
Additionally, note the following:
Ground operation: As part of its increased ground operations in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military claimed on Monday that four well-known Hamas operatives had been killed. Israel declared over the weekend that it had begun the “second stage” of its conflict with Hamas, and on Sunday it issued a warning that its ground operations in Gaza would intensify. CNN workers heard machine gun fire multiple times during the day near Sderot, which is around one kilometer from the Gaza boundary. This suggests that there is serious combat going on on the ground in the northern areas of the Gaza Strip.
Israeli soldier saved: According to the IDF, during ground operations in Gaza, a female Israeli soldier who had been abducted by Hamas on October 7 was saved. Even with the tremendous pressure that Israeli forces are exerting on the Gaza Strip, Hamas is still firing rockets toward Israel. Michael Herzog, the Israeli ambassador to the US, claimed that Hamas used the footage of their heinous October 7 attacks as a recruiting tool.
Video of hostages: On Monday, Hamas published a brief film purporting to depict three female hostages that the Palestinian militant organization has been holding since their October 7 attack.
In the footage, they are seen addressing the camera while sat in plastic chairs. The woman in the midst of the group confronts Netanyahu directly and grows angrier as she demands that Israeli leaders “free us all.” There is nothing that CNN can confirm on their situation or safety. The US, Israel, Qatar, Egypt, and Hamas are all parties to ongoing negotiations aimed at freeing a sizable number of hostages from Gaza; but, sources claim that the work is becoming more difficult due to Israel’s recent escalation of its ground operations.
Humanitarian crisis: Things are getting worse inside the enclave on a humanitarian basis. According to the UN, thousands of helpless Palestinians are stealing necessities from warehouses, including bread and sanitary supplies, all the while being targeted by Israeli aircraft.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that 26 trucks entered Gaza on Monday via the Rafah gate. The chief of surgery at Gaza’s biggest hospital detailed horrible circumstances and claimed that the facility’s workers “cannot cope” with the enormous volume of patients they are attending to.
West Bank strikes: Overnight, Israel claimed carrying out more operations against armed Palestinian factions in the occupied West Bank. Four Palestinians were slain in an Israeli air and ground operation in Jenin, which is located north of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has been formally governed by the Palestinian Authority since 1993, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
According to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, 26 trucks crossed the Rafah gate into Gaza on Monday. The head of surgery at the largest hospital in Gaza described appalling conditions and asserted that staff members “cannot cope” with the sheer number of patients they are caring for.
Strikes in the West Bank: Israel reported conducting additional operations against armed Palestinian groups in the occupied West Bank overnight. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, four Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air and ground operation in Jenin, which is north of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has been officially governed by the Palestinian Authority since 1993.
Palestinian witnesses there claim that two airstrikes by the Israeli army severely damaged buildings in the refugee camp.
