Israeli forces commit most brutal attack on Gaza
Israel’s forces were undeterred by the international outrage and solidarity with the Palestinian people as they committed their most brutal assaults since October 7, reports Reuters.
The IDF, backed by war planes, descended on the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis, massacring civilians as well as encircling the city on December 5.
The bloodshed committed by the army is despite the US, Israel’s biggest ally, and the United Nations repeatedly stating that civilian casualties must be avoided.
Palestinian militants, The Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, said that they were involved in numerous clashes with the Israeli military in the city.
Khan Younis has a population of just over 200,000 and is a key part of the Palestinian enclave.
READ: Israel’s Jenin raid sees two youths murdered
A four-day ceasefire, in addition to a two-day truce extension, was agreed recently however talks of further extensions stalled as a result of Israeli intelligence agency Mossad walking away from the negotiating table in Qatar, who have played a key part in negotiating a cessation of hostilities between Israel and the Palestinian group.
“We are in the most intense day since the beginning of the ground operation,” the commander of the Israeli military’s Southern Command, General Yaron Finkelman, claimed in a statement.
The military chief also noted that Israeli forces also carried out operations in Jabalia, a prominent refugee in the north next to Gaza City, and in Shuja’iyya to the east.
The pummeling of the besieged enclave has resulted in the displacement of around 1.6 million inhabitants. Although many have fled conflict-ridden areas, Gazans are saying that there is nowhere in the territory where the safety of civilians can be ensured.
Hamas, who have released a sizeable number of hostages taken in October as part of the truce deal, said that they would refuse to surrender anymore captives until the cease of an Israeli aggression.
Over 16,000 have been killed in Gaza since October 7 as thousands are feared missing underneath the rubble.
Reuters