War in the Middle East: No end to fighting in Gaza in sight

Israel’s military says it is continuing its operations in several areas of the Gaza Strip. For example, there are battles in the area of ​​the city of Rafah. “The troops eliminated numerous terrorists in close combat and air strikes,” the army said. In the center of the coastal area, forces found “a large amount of funds used for terrorist activities.” The information could not initially be independently verified.

According to Palestinian sources, the Israeli army has withdrawn from the western districts of Tal al-Hawa and Rimal in Gaza City after a week-long operation. A spokesman for the Hamas-controlled civil defense told the German Press Agency that his teams had found 60 bodies there. This information could not be independently verified. When asked, Israel’s military did not initially comment on the reports.

Army continues to operate in UNRWA headquarters

According to the army, the operation at the headquarters of the Palestinian relief agency UNRWA in the city of Gaza is ongoing. Soldiers have been engaged in hand-to-hand combat with terrorists on the premises. During the operation, people who were trying to escape were also arrested.

Israeli forces also found rooms used by Hamas for surveillance and numerous weapons. According to the military, members of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) are abusing the UNRWA headquarters as bases in violation of international law.

There is also a Hamas tunnel under the site. Emergency services had already discovered this previously. This information could not be independently verified at first. However, there has been no regular work by aid workers at the UNRWA headquarters since the war began.

The Palestinian Relief Agency estimates that since the beginning of the war, at least 524 displaced people who had sought protection in the organization’s facilities have been killed and at least 1,606 others injured. The army says it tries to avoid civilian casualties when attacking the buildings.