The location at an overview: Israel’s army is promoting Gaza use – struggles for fire break

According to the preliminary failure of a ceasefire agreement, Israel’s tuppers in the Gaza Strip are supposed to push the attacks against Islamist Hamas in the sealed coastal area. General chief of staff Ejal Zamir ordered the expansion of the soil offensive to other areas, the army said. The mediator states Qatar and Egypt announced that they are increasingly working on a break for the indirect discussions between the two warring parties.

Hamas welcomed these efforts and agreed to “immediately initiate a round of indirect negotiations in order to reach an agreement on the disputed points”. The goal is a “permanent ceasefire and a complete retreat” of the army. However, the Israeli government has so far strictly rejected a ceasefire in which the war has a final end.

Israel’s military chief speaks of relentless commitment

“We are in the middle of a strong and relentless operation,” said Israel’s military chief, according to the army, when visiting a troop in the south of the competitive coastal area. The offensive should run until “the prerequisites for the return of the hostages and the decisive defeat of Hamas are created,” it said. The terrorist organization now loses control of the Gaza Strip. Zamir did not give details.

The Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz previously declared that he had instructed the army to move further in the Gaza Strip and to achieve all declared war goals, “regardless of any negotiations”.

Most recently, hopes for a ceasefire had smashed for the time being. In her answer to a proposal by the US mediator Steve Witkoff, Hamas agreed to a 60-day fire break and the release of some of the hostages that she continued to be held, but provided other conditions. The points of view of both warring parties want to bring each other closer and clarify controversial points, it was said in a statement by the Arab states of Qatar and Egypt, which were also mediating in the conflict.

Contradictory information on incidents

Hamas had claimed at the weekend that in Israeli attacks, 30 people were killed at distribution centers for humanitarian aid goods. Dozens of others are injured. This cannot be checked independently. The Israeli army denied the information from the terrorist organization.

A preliminary investigation had shown that the military “did not shot at civilians, while they were near or within the distribution center for humanitarian aid, and that the reports are wrong,” it said on Sunday evening. The International Committee of the Red Cross (IKRK) had stated that 179 people were brought to the Feldhospital in Rafah in the south, most of them with shot and splinter wounds. There are 21 dead. The survivors had said that they were violated when trying to reach an issue for relief supplies.

Foundation: Hamas spreads rumors

However, the Gaza Humanitrian Foundation (GHF) Foundation, which distributes meals over the centers, said: “Our help was distributed today without incident”. And further: “We are aware of rumors that are actively distributed by Hamas and affect alleged deaths and injuries today,” it said. “These are untrue and fictitious.”

Israel enables the foundation to distribute relief goods in the Gaza Strip in order to avoid aid organizations of the UN and other initiatives. The UN criticized this and accused Israel of using humanitarian aid as a weapon. After almost three months of blockade, Israel had again allowed aid deliveries to the hungry population to a limited extent.

Greta Thunberg wants to sail to Gaza with activists

According to the new system, Israel wants to prevent Hamas from branching off humanitarian aid. The UN say that Israel has not presented any evidence that Hamas intercepts relief goods. However, eyewitnesses have confirmed several times in the past that Hamas fighters have hijacked aid deliveries. Meanwhile, activists, including the Swede Greta Thunberg, want to bring relief supplies to Gaza with a sailing ship.

A spokeswoman for the Freedom Flotilla Coalition alliance confirmed the ship “Madleen” in the Sicilian city of Catania. According to their own statements, the activists want to break through “Israel’s illegal siege” and bring “humanitarian aid, hope and solidarity to Gaza”. With its action, the group claims to draw international attention to the humanitarian emergency in Gaza.