A general view shows smoke as it rises following Israeli strikes in Gaza, October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
Israeli forces targeted and killed another Hamas commander in Gaza’s largest refugee camp for the second time in two days, as part of their ongoing offensive against Hamas militants. The military operation involved bombings from land, sea, and air, aimed at dismantling the Islamist group. This offensive followed a deadly cross-border incursion by Hamas into southern Israel on October 7th.
The strikes resulted in significant destruction in the densely populated Gaza Strip, with civilians sifting through rubble in search of survivors. Palestinian health officials reported a high number of casualties, including about 50 people killed and 150 wounded in the Israeli airstrikes.
The Israeli military claimed that their airstrikes were based on precise intelligence, targeting a Hamas command and control complex in the Jabalia refugee camp. They reported the killing of Muhammad A’sar, the head of the Islamist group’s anti-tank missile unit. Israel also stated that Hamas deliberately positioned its infrastructure within civilian buildings, thereby endangering Gazan civilians.
Israel had previously conducted a strike on the same camp, killing Ibrahim Biari, whom they identified as a ringleader in the October 7th attack. The people being evacuated to Egypt had been trapped in Gaza for more than three weeks, enduring dire conditions with a lack of basic necessities.
On the humanitarian front, a group of evacuees, including foreign passport holders and severely injured Gazans, crossed into Egypt through the Rafah border crossing. This evacuation was part of a deal brokered between Egypt, Israel, and Hamas. The Gaza health system struggled to cope with the influx of casualties due to fuel shortages, and concerns arose about shortages of food, water, and medicine.
Despite the humanitarian efforts, Israeli military operations continued, inflicting additional casualties among the civilian population. Many countries and international organizations called for a humanitarian pause in hostilities, given the dire conditions in Gaza. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was set to visit Israel and Jordan for discussions on Israel’s military objectives.
Hamas continued to launch rockets into Israel, and the violence escalated in a region where prospects for peace and a two-state solution remained distant. The conflict had also led to a significant casualty count on both sides, with increasing civilian casualties in Gaza and Israeli military casualties. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed the commitment to achieving victory in this challenging war.
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