Israeli Troops to Enter Gaza City Within ’48 Hours’, as Fighting Intensifies in Enclave – News18

The Israeli military on Monday attacked Gaza with “significant” strikes with soldiers battling Hamas in the densely populated territory, despite growing ceasefire calls by UN aid agencies who condemned surging civilian deaths in the month-long conflict. This comes as the Israeli military sliced the enclave in two as telecommunication services to the Strip appeared to be cut again.

“We are striking Hamas, and we are going stronghold after stronghold, according to our plan, in a systematic effort to dismantle Hamas from its military capabilities,” Israeli army spokesman Jonathan Conricus told CNN. “We have troops on the ground; infantry, armour, combat engineers. They are striking and they are also directing fire from the air,” he said, adding efforts were focused on the “underground infrastructure” network of Hamas tunnels.

On Sunday evening, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said during an evening press conference that the military was carrying out “widespread strikes on terror infrastructure, below ground and above it.” This encirclement of Gaza comes as Israel’s war against Hamas has entered its thirtieth day, four weeks after Hamas killed at least 1,400 Israelis. In Gaza, the Hamas-controlled health ministry reports that more than 9,730 Palestinians have been killed. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are holding hostage more than 242 soldiers and civilians, including foreign nationals.

Troops Will Enter in 48 Hours

The Haaretz newspaper reported that Israeli forces surround Gaza City and its environs “from the air, land and sea,” and Israeli officials estimate that infantry forces will enter the city in the next 48 hours. This comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken presses a whirlwind Middle East tour focused on humanitarian aid for the Palestinians, that has taken him to Israel and the occupied West Bank, as well as to Jordan, Iraq and Cyprus.

Blinken, who has rebuffed calls for a ceasefire and backed Israel’s goal of crushing Hamas, met Sunday with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the West Bank. On Saturday Blinken met with Arab foreign ministers in Jordan, after holding talks in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who insists there could be no temporary cease-fire until all hostages held by Hamas are released. US President Joe Biden suggested that progress was being made on the humanitarian pause.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained firm on his position, vowing that “there won’t be a ceasefire until the hostages are returned”. “Let them remove this from their lexicon. We are saying this to our enemies and to our friends,” the right-wing premier said after meeting troops. “We will simply continue until we win. We have no alternative.”

(With agency inputs)