Israel’s army apparently wants to encircle the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It is said that the coastal area is now divided into two. Meanwhile, people are receiving unexpected help from the air. The overview.
The Israeli combat units have advanced further in the densely populated Gaza Strip and, according to their own statements, have now completely divided the coastal area into two halves. The city of Gaza in the north is completely encircled, an army spokesman said on Sunday evening. This is a decisive step in the fight against the Islamist Hamas. However, civilians should still be able to flee to the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian telecommunications company Paltel, all communications and internet services in Gaza were again down.
Israel continued its massive bombardment of the densely populated Gaza Strip. The Israeli Air Force bombed around 450 targets in the past 24 hours, the military said on Monday morning. These included tunnels, military facilities and launch pads for anti-tank missiles from the Islamist Hamas. In addition, the troops on the ground took over a military complex. It was said that “several Hamas terrorists” were killed in the operation. The information could not initially be independently verified. Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the USA.
Dropping aid supplies from the air
On Monday night, the Jordanian air force dropped medical supplies and medicines over a Jordanian field hospital in the coastal strip sealed off by Israel. Work there is continuing despite extreme supply shortages, the Petra news agency reported, citing military sources. “It is our duty to help our brothers and sisters who were injured in the war against Gaza. We will always be there for our Palestinian brothers,” wrote Jordan’s King Abdullah II on X. According to an Israeli army spokesman, the airdrop took place in Coordination with the military.
In general, Israel demands that all aid supplies, which so far only reach the south of the Gaza Strip via the Egyptian Rafah border crossing, be checked. The aim is to prevent weapons from being smuggled to the Islamist Hamas, which rules in Gaza and which carried out an unprecedented major attack on Israel on October 7th.
After an Israeli attack on an ambulance that the army said was used by Hamas, departures from the Gaza Strip have been stopped for the time being. Injured Palestinians as well as foreigners and Palestinians with dual citizenship are affected.
Humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic
Aid organizations complain that the aid supplies that have so far reached the Gaza Strip by truck are far from enough. In the densely populated coastal strip, where around 2.2 million people live, the humanitarian situation remains devastating. The number of United Nations employees killed rose to 79. Five employees were killed within the past 48 hours, the UN Palestinian relief agency UNRWA said on Sunday. The number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip rose to 9,770, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority.
Israel: Gaza Strip divided into two parts
There is now “a North Gaza and a South Gaza,” Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Sunday. The units had reached the coast in the southern part of the city of Gaza and were “holding” the area. The air raids and attacks on the ground were expanded in the evening. “Tonight we are conducting an important operation,” Hagari continued. According to the Palestinian telecommunications company Paltel, all main Internet and communications lines in Gaza have been shut down by the Israelis. There was initially no confirmation of this from the Israeli side.
As the Times of Israel reported, the UN Security Council is scheduled to meet again on Monday at the instigation of the United Arab Emirates and China for an emergency meeting to discuss the latest developments in the war between Israel and Hamas.
There are renewed confrontations on Israel’s border with Lebanon
Meanwhile, there were further incidents on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. According to Lebanese security circles and the Hezbollah militia, three children and their grandmother were killed in an attack by an Israeli drone. When asked on Sunday, the Israeli military said it had attacked “a suspicious vehicle.” It was “identified as a suspected means of transport for terrorists.” “The allegation that there were civilians in the vehicle is currently under investigation,” the army said.
An Israeli civilian was killed in a Hezbollah attack from Lebanon on Sunday, the army said. Hezbollah attacks Israeli military targets and populated areas without distinguishing between civilians and military personnel. Israel’s military is prepared for a possible major attack in Lebanon, said Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi during a visit to troops on Sunday. “We are ready to strike in the north at any time.”
Blinken warns militias
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a warning to pro-Iranian militias during a surprise visit to Iraq on Sunday. “Whoever wants to take advantage of the conflict in Gaza to threaten our employees here or elsewhere in the region – let it go,” Blinken said on the TV channel “Sky News”. His visit to Iraq also comes against the backdrop of increasing attacks by pro-Iranian militias on US troops in Iraq.
What will be important on Monday
Efforts to impose a ceasefire on aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip and reopen the Rafah border crossing continue. According to an Israeli media report, the UN Security Council is to meet again for an emergency meeting.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
