Thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee southward on foot in order to escape the fighting as Israel’s military essentially split Gaza in half, focusing its most intense airstrikes and ground operations in the northern area.
Israel declared the goal of its military action to eliminate the Palestinian militant organization Hamas and free the more than 240 captives held following the group’s deadly October 7 attack. This resulted in the deaths of more than 1,400 individuals.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, which relies on sources in the Hamas-controlled zone, the offensive has killed around 10,700 Palestinians until now. Palestinians are leaving in increasing numbers, including women, children, and the elderly, following regular evacuation lanes that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have declared.
In an effort to ease the humanitarian catastrophe, there are increasing appeals from throughout the world for the war to stop. Of Gaza’s two million residents, more than half are now without a place to live. Food, water, fuel, and medical supplies are among the basic essentials that are running low. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that the majority of hospitals are no longer in operation.
Apart from the seeming complexity of urban warfare, Israeli troops also face the challenge of dealing with Hamas’ sophisticated tunnel network and the potential for ambushes. CNN’s analysis of propaganda movies that Hamas recently published shows just how intricate and complex the conflict has grown.
Israel’s Defense Minister Says
According to Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF forces are “enforcing the net” around the northern enclave’s urban center, specifically targeting Hamas leaders and infrastructure. They are currently at “the core of Gaza City.”
The Israeli troops “came from north and south and attacked in conjunction with our air power and navy,” according to Gallant.
In an attempt to drive a wedge through the middle of the strip and split it in half, the IDF’s troops have advanced along three axes since beginning their ground offensive into Gaza nearly two weeks ago: from Gaza’s northwest border together with the coast of the Mediterranean, from the northeast corner near Beit Hanoun, and from east to west, along the southern border of Gaza City towards the coast.
An Israeli military spokesman told News on Monday that the Israeli forces were approaching Gaza City, which they claimed to have surrounded since arriving at Gaza’s coast on Sunday.
Every inch of this city is a source of horror. Gallant asserted that they have miles of tunnels underneath that connect to schools and hospitals. We’re still working to destroy this ability.
The IDF’s policy, according to Danny Orbach, a military historian at Hebrew University in the city of Jerusalem, is one of isolation and devastation.
You want to prevent your enemy from having the ability to harm them; you don’t just want to punish or cause them misery. Orbach told News that destroying it as an organized military force is the best way to deny its capabilities.
He continued, I think the IDF will try to separate areas in the territory of Gaza first, then focus its assets on the main power centers. First, they want to focus your forces and cut off Gaza City from both the north and the south.
The IDF has claimed for weeks that it is pursuing Hamas’ extensive network of tunnels throughout Gaza. However, the recordings demonstrate that Hamas is still capable of carrying out assaults.
The Al-Shati Refugee Camp, Atatra, and Beit Hanoun are the three primary areas where News geolocated several skirmishes seen in the footage that was made public after the ground assault started. It is there that fighters can be seen ambushing IDF troops. The films are carefully manipulated, so it’s unclear how the Hamas strikes turned out.
Leave a Reply