GAZA STRIP – Israel’s defense minister Yoav Gallant says their military has encircled the last Hamas strongholds in Jabaliya and Shejaiya in northern Gaza Strip.
He says hundreds of Hamas operatives in Gaza have surrendered or been arrested in recent days, and the group is on the verge of being dismantled in the north.
On Monday, intense air strikes were seen in northern Gaza as Palestinian rockets targeted southern and central Israel.
Israel has urged Gazans to flee from some parts of the southern city of Khan Younis towards Rafah, as Israeli tanks move towards the city center.
Hamas broke through Israel’s heavily guarded perimeter on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages – some of whom were released during a brief truce.
Israel has launched air strikes and ground offensives in the territory. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says Israel has killed about 18,200 people.
Meanwhile, the United States is facing criticism from some quarters for not doing more to stop the killing of civilians in Gaza.
Nathaniel Tek, a spokesman for the US Department of State, said the US is “pressing” the Israeli government to “[put] a premium on civilian life”.
“We believe it is critical that Israel places a premium on the protection of human life, and for the ability of aid organizations to access civilians,” he told the BBC’s Newsday programme.
But he also said that “there certainly is more that can be done, and more precise and clear directions can be given to civilians to ensure they can reach safety”.
Israel can only achieve a “strategic victory” if it protects civilians and works toward a more enduring peace, he added.
“So there are two aspects to this, the moral and the strategic, that we have been trying to push,” he said. (BBC)
