8-11-2023 (GAZA) Israel’s ground forces have launched an operation to locate and disable Hamas militants’ extensive tunnel network beneath the Gaza Strip. This marks the next phase of Israel’s ongoing offensive, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians.
Following a cross-border gun rampage by Hamas gunmen that claimed the lives of 1,400 people and resulted in the hostage-taking of around 240 individuals on October 7, Israel has been conducting airstrikes and employing ground troops to divide the coastal enclave.
Gaza City, the largest town in the territory and a stronghold of Hamas, is now encircled. Israel claims its troops have advanced to the city’s core, while Hamas asserts that its fighters have inflicted significant losses on the invading forces.
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the chief Israeli military spokesperson, stated that Israel’s combat engineering corps are utilizing explosive devices to destroy Hamas’ tunnel network, which stretches for hundreds of kilometers beneath Gaza.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized that Israel’s objective is solely to target Hamas terrorists, their infrastructure, commanders, bunkers, and communication rooms in Gaza.
Hamas fighters have reportedly been putting up strong resistance against Israeli tanks by using the tunnel network to launch ambushes, according to sources within Hamas and the separate militant group Islamic Jihad. However, the claims from both sides cannot be independently verified.
Concerns have been raised among Israelis that the military operations could further endanger hostages believed to be held in the tunnels. Israel has stated that it will not agree to a ceasefire until the hostages are released, while Hamas insists it will continue fighting as long as Gaza is under attack.
Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad challenged Israel’s military achievements, stating that he doubts they have achieved anything on the ground besides killing civilians. Hamad further asserted that Gaza will remain a thorn in the side of the United States and Israel.
Although Israel’s military operation is primarily focused on the northern half of Gaza, the south has also come under attack. Palestinian health officials reported that at least 23 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday in the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah.
According to health officials in Hamas-ruled Gaza, Israeli bombardments have resulted in the deaths of over 10,000 Palestinians since October 7, with approximately 40% of them being children.
While the United States has supported Israel’s position that a ceasefire would benefit Hamas militarily, President Joe Biden recently urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to consider a pause in the fighting.
In Gaza’s Khan Younis, rescuers worked tirelessly to free a girl buried under debris following an attack on a house that claimed the lives of 11 people, according to health officials.
Israel has remained ambiguous about its long-term plans if it succeeds in its stated goal of defeating Hamas. Netanyahu, in one of his first direct comments on the subject, mentioned that Israel aims to assume security responsibility for Gaza “for an indefinite period” after the war concludes.
However, Israeli officials have clarified that they do not seek to govern the enclave. Defense Minister Gallant stated that neither Israel nor Hamas would rule Gaza after the war is over.
Living conditions in Gaza, which were already dire, have further deteriorated following a month of relentless bombardment. Nearly two-thirds of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been internally displaced, with thousands seeking refuge in hospitals and makeshift shelters.
The World Health Organization estimates that 122,000 displaced Gazans are currently sheltering in hospitals, churches, and other public buildings across the strip, with an additional 827,000 seeking shelter in schools.
International organizations and Western countries are working urgently to provide aid to Gaza and evacuate foreign nationals from the strip. In a troubling incident, a humanitarian convoy came under fire in Gaza City on Tuesday, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The convoy, after rerouting, managed to deliver medical supplies to Al Shifa hospital. Two trucks were damaged, and a driver sustained minor injuries. The source of the firing remains unidentified.
Hamas’ cynical use of the civilian population has been further revealed:
???? IDF Paratroopers Brigade operating in Northern Gaza exposed the opening of an underground terror tunnel near an amusement park and another found near a university.
???? A weapon warehouse, containing… pic.twitter.com/cd9FaeJDfO
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 7, 2023
