Israel stepped up airstrikes across south-central Gaza on Wednesday, despite the Jewish state's pledge to scale back the war in so-called “safe” areas after securing victory in the north.
As fighting continues to intensify more than three months after the war began, the IDF has secured areas around southern Gaza's largest city, Khan Yunis, while seizing control of a Hamas base in central Gaza.
Israel had promised to reduce its presence in Gaza after annihilating Hamas' northern faction.
Instead, constant airstrikes are hampering humanitarian efforts aimed at delivering food and medicine to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced in the south.
The World Health Organization announced Wednesday that it had canceled its latest medical mission in Gaza, citing security concerns. This is the sixth cancellation in the past two weeks.
“Heavy shelling, movement restrictions, fuel shortages and communications disruptions are making it impossible for WHO and its partners to reach people in need,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference. .
The decision to suspend aid operations came after the Palestinian Red Crescent revealed that four medics were killed in an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza.
A video of a Red Crescent medic crying over the death of a colleague has been uploaded to social media, drawing criticism of the Israel Defense Forces' air campaign.
Israeli officials have previously dismissed concerns from humanitarian groups about the impact the airstrikes would have on aid efforts in the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces have not yet responded to the allegations that they beat a Red Crescent employee.
Hospitals in Gaza also continue to be overwhelmed by the number of civilians injured in airstrikes, and international aid group Save the Children said on Sunday that an average of more than 10 children have lost one or both legs since the war began. revealed.
More than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 60,000 injured in the conflict so far, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between terrorists and civilians.
Israel has said it will not halt its war operations in Gaza until all Hamas is destroyed, and officials recently said the terrorist group no longer has the same power over the Palestinian enclave as it had before October 7. They claim that they are not in control.
“There is currently no effective control of Hamas in large parts of the Gaza Strip,” Benny Gantz, Israel's war cabinet minister, said at a press conference.
“If any of your abductees are monitoring us right now, it's important that you know. We will not stop fighting for you to return to your loved ones.” We're doing everything we can to help,” Gantz added.
His remarks came hours before a wartime cabinet meeting in which officials were scheduled to consider the latest hostage negotiation proposals from Qatari allies.
The deal reportedly calls for the release of more than 130 hostages remaining in Gaza in exchange for both Israel and Hamas to permanently withdraw from the Palestinian enclave.
Despite earlier statements that Hamas would not release its hostages until Israel freed all Palestinians it holds in prisons, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the terrorist organization would participate in renewed talks. Ta.
“We previously succeeded in rescuing more than 100 hostages during this conflict, and I believe they can and will address this issue,” Blinken said. We are focusing on this with Qatar and Egypt.” he said in an interview on NBC that aired Wednesday.
The top U.S. diplomat is in the region for the fourth time since the war began, with a focus on progressing the hostage trade and preventing the war from escalating as conflict with Iranian-backed terrorist groups escalates in both Lebanon and the Red Sea. are doing.
Blinken warned there would be “consequences” against the Houthi terrorist group, which continues to support Hamas and coordinate terrorist attacks in the Red Sea.
Terrorists launched their largest attack yet on Tuesday, in which three US Navy destroyers took out 21 missiles and drones deployed against ships in the area.
No injuries or damage were reported, according to U.S. Central Command, which said it was the 26th attack in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi rebels since November 19.
with post wire
