At least 23 Palestinians were killed in two separate Israeli air strikes early on Tuesday in the southern Gaza cities of Khan Younis and Rafah, according to health officials. The Israeli military announced that it had taken control of a Hamas military stronghold in the northern Gaza Strip, where it claimed to have found anti-tank missiles, launchers, weapons, and intelligence materials. Despite international pressure for a ceasefire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected these calls but stated that Israel would consider “tactical little pauses” in the fighting to allow hostages to leave or aid to get through.
With Gaza City encircled by Israeli forces, the military announced that they had taken a militant compound and were preparing to attack fighters hiding in underground tunnels. The ongoing bombardment has resulted in the death of over 10,000 Palestinians, including 4,100 children, according to Gaza health officials. Israel has been bombarding the enclave since a Hamas raid on southern Israel a month ago, which resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people and the seizure of 240 hostages. Israel insists that hostages should be released before a ceasefire can be arranged, while Hamas refuses to release them while Gaza remains under attack.
U.S. President Joe Biden discussed the possibility of pauses in the fighting and potential hostage releases with Netanyahu during a phone call. While expressing support for Israel, Biden emphasized the need to protect civilians. The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, called for an urgent ceasefire, stating that Gaza is turning into a “graveyard for children.” International organizations have highlighted the dire humanitarian situation, with hospitals overwhelmed and supplies rapidly depleting.
The Israeli military released video footage of tanks and troops in the streets of Gaza City, stating that it had surrounded the city and cut off its northern parts from the south. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the chief military spokesperson, stated that the troops were targeting Hamas field-level commanders to weaken their ability to carry out counter-attacks. The U.N. Security Council held a closed-door meeting to discuss the situation but has failed four times in the past two weeks to agree on a resolution. The G7 leading democracies plan to call for a pause in fighting and humanitarian access to Gaza.
In response to a barrage of rockets fired at northern Israeli cities, Israel announced that it was striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The Israeli military detected approximately 30 launches from Lebanon in one hour. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has been engaged in clashes with Israeli forces along the Lebanese-Israeli frontier since October, marking the worst fighting between the two since their conflict in 2006. Hamas also claimed to have launched 16 missiles towards Nahariyya and southern Haifa in Israel.
Overall, the situation in Gaza remains dire, with a high number of Palestinian casualties and growing pressure for a ceasefire. The international community continues to call for an end to the violence and the provision of humanitarian aid, while Israel and Hamas remain steadfast in their positions. The conflict between Israel and Hamas shows no signs of abating, and the toll on civilians is mounting with no immediate solution in sight.