Israel’s defense minister is pushing back against international calls to end the military offensive in Gaza, saying that the current phase of the operation against the Hamas militant group will “take time.” Yoav Gallant, a member of Israel’s war cabinet, remains unswayed by criticism over the widespread damage and heavy civilian death toll caused by the two-month military campaign. The U.N. secretary-general and leading Arab states are calling for an immediate cease-fire, while the United States has urged Israel to reduce civilian casualties, despite providing unwavering diplomatic and military support.
The military campaign was launched after Hamas militants stormed across Israel’s southern border, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping about 240. Two months of airstrikes and ground invasion have resulted in the deaths of over 17,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza, with nearly 85% of the territory’s population driven from their homes.
Gallant refused to commit to any firm deadlines but signaled that the current phase characterized by heavy ground fighting backed by air power could stretch on for weeks or even months. He said the next phase would be lower-intensity fighting against “pockets of resistance,” requiring Israeli troops to maintain their freedom of operation.
In Central Gaza, an Israeli overnight airstrike reportedly flattened a residential building with about 80 people inside, while battles have been ongoing in parts of Gaza City and the urban Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza. Israel has pledged to keep fighting until it removes Hamas from power, dismantles its military capabilities, and gets back all of the hostages.
Gallant blamed Hamas for the heavy civilian death toll, saying that the group maintains a network of tunnels underneath schools, streets, and hospitals. Hamas, on the other hand, fired a barrage of rockets at Tel Aviv on Monday causing one person to be lightly wounded.
The U.N. humanitarian office (OCHA) described a harrowing journey through the battle zone in northern Gaza where a U.N. and Red Crescent convoy encountered gunfire resulting in the death of a patient and the detention of a paramedic. It is clear that the fighting in Gaza has had a severe impact on health facilities causing severe shortages of food and water.
Aid workers in Gaza say they are largely unable to distribute aid beyond the Rafah area due to the fighting elsewhere. Palestinians are facing harsh conditions in the south, with many falling ill due to prolonged exposure to cold, crowded shelters, and unsanitary conditions.
Israeli forces continue to battle militants in and around the southern city of Khan Younis, as the military offensive in Gaza enters its third month. Hamas has vowed to continue fighting, leading to ongoing heavy civilian casualties and widespread destruction.