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Israeli troops encircle Gaza City and expected to enter in force within 48 hours Israeli troops encircle Gaza City and expected to enter in force within 48 hours
(about 4 hours later)
Gaza severed into two parts, says Israel, as US sends missile-carrying submarine to Middle EastGaza severed into two parts, says Israel, as US sends missile-carrying submarine to Middle East
The Israeli military says it has completely encircled Gaza City after over a week of heavy fighting, in effect severing the territory into two. The Israeli military says it has completely encircled Gaza City after over a week of heavy fighting, in effect severing the territory into two, as Israeli ground troops appeared poised to enter the dense urban sprawl from the south.
Moving under the cover of intensive aerial bombardments on Sunday night from air, land and sea – accompanied by a communications blackout – Israeli troops moved to surround the city as Hamas militants were reported to have pulled back to prepared positions deeper in the dense urban sprawl. What seemed to be the beginning of the second stage of the Israeli ground operation was accompanied by a barrage of 16 rockets fired from southern Lebanon towards the Israeli city of Haifa on Monday afternoon.
The rocket fire, claimed by Hamas, reached the furthest distance of any projectiles from the Lebanese side of the border fired by either the Palestinian militant group or Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militia – a sign that escalation on Israel’s northern front is still an active threat even as fighting intensifies inside Gaza.
Israel’s encirclement of Gaza City comes a month after Hamas conducted its murderous rampage across southern Israel on 7 October, killing 1,400 Israelis and taking about 240 people hostage, in the worst attack in the country’s history. Israel swiftly said it was at war with Hamas and the toll on civilians in Gaza has been horrifying.
The Hamas-run local health authority said more than 10,000 Palestinians had been killed by airstrikes and artillery fire. The territory’s 2.3 million civilians have no safe place to go, but with food, water, fuel and medical supplies dwindling, international calls for a humanitarian pause or ceasefire have been firmly rejected by Israel, which has vowed to crush the militants’ operational capabilities.
Moving under the cover of intensive aerial bombardments on Sunday night from air, land and sea – accompanied by a communications blackout – Israeli troops moved to surround Gaza City as Hamas militants were reported to have pulled back to prepared positions deeper in the densely packed territory.
Sunday’s airstrikes were the most ferocious on the territory since the war broke out. It was not immediately clear what had been hit in the centre of Gaza City, as huge plumes of fire and smoke rose into the night air.Sunday’s airstrikes were the most ferocious on the territory since the war broke out. It was not immediately clear what had been hit in the centre of Gaza City, as huge plumes of fire and smoke rose into the night air.
“Today there is north Gaza and south Gaza,” R Adm Daniel Hagari said, calling it a “significant stage” in Israel’s war against the Hamas militant group ruling the territory. Israeli media reported that troops were expected to enter Gaza City in force within the next 48 hours.“Today there is north Gaza and south Gaza,” R Adm Daniel Hagari said, calling it a “significant stage” in Israel’s war against the Hamas militant group ruling the territory. Israeli media reported that troops were expected to enter Gaza City in force within the next 48 hours.
The latest moves on the ground were accompanied by mounting speculation over the kind of fighting that would unfold in Gaza City’s streets, amid suggestions the Israel Defence Forces would try to avoid costly warfare within Hamas’s tunnel system. The fate of the hostages – of whom the only signs of life came in a video released by Hamas showing three women – also complicates the offensive. On Tuesday, a month since they were abducted, families of those kidnapped are expected to protest at the Western Wall plaza in Jerusalem, the holiest site in Judaism, as well as at the Knesset, over what they say are inadequate efforts to reach a deal with Hamas to release their loved ones.
The latest moves on the ground in the Gaza Strip were accompanied by mounting speculation over the kind of fighting that would unfold in Gaza City’s streets, amid suggestions the Israel Defence Forces would try to avoid costly warfare within Hamas’s tunnel system.
In a briefing with reporters on Monday, the IDF spokesperson, Lt Col Richard Hecht, said the army was striving to maintain humanitarian corridors so people could flee to the south of the territory, but acknowledged that if Hamas was believed to be using the roads, the IDF would not hesitate to attack.In a briefing with reporters on Monday, the IDF spokesperson, Lt Col Richard Hecht, said the army was striving to maintain humanitarian corridors so people could flee to the south of the territory, but acknowledged that if Hamas was believed to be using the roads, the IDF would not hesitate to attack.
He also echoed comments made by senior IDF commanders that Hamas was using medical infrastructure, including Gaza City’s Dar al-Shifa, Indonesian and Qatari hospitals, to hide underground and launch rocket salvoes.He also echoed comments made by senior IDF commanders that Hamas was using medical infrastructure, including Gaza City’s Dar al-Shifa, Indonesian and Qatari hospitals, to hide underground and launch rocket salvoes.
In response to a question about whether Israel was now treating the hospitals as military targets, Hecht said: “This is one of our biggest challenges. We haven’t struck any hospitals yet. When it comes we will discuss it.”In response to a question about whether Israel was now treating the hospitals as military targets, Hecht said: “This is one of our biggest challenges. We haven’t struck any hospitals yet. When it comes we will discuss it.”
The tightened siege of Gaza City came as it was claimed the US had indicated it would intervene militarily if Iran and Hezbollah attacked Israel in support of Hamas, announcing it had sent an Ohio-class guided missile-carrying submarine to the region.The tightened siege of Gaza City came as it was claimed the US had indicated it would intervene militarily if Iran and Hezbollah attacked Israel in support of Hamas, announcing it had sent an Ohio-class guided missile-carrying submarine to the region.
The New York Times quoted officials as saying the White House had also sent messages to Iran and Hezbollah that the US would be prepared to intervene militarily if attacks were launched against Israel. On Sunday, the US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, reiterated the US position that it was committed to deterring “any state or non-state actor seeking to escalate this conflict”.The New York Times quoted officials as saying the White House had also sent messages to Iran and Hezbollah that the US would be prepared to intervene militarily if attacks were launched against Israel. On Sunday, the US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, reiterated the US position that it was committed to deterring “any state or non-state actor seeking to escalate this conflict”.
In another sign of widening unrest, a Palestinian man stabbed and wounded two members of Israel’s paramilitary border police in East Jerusalem before being shot dead, according to police.In another sign of widening unrest, a Palestinian man stabbed and wounded two members of Israel’s paramilitary border police in East Jerusalem before being shot dead, according to police.
The Hamas-run health ministry said at least 9,770 people had been killed in more than four weeks of war in Gaza. The operation started after the militants killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 240 hostages in the deadliest attack in Israel’s history. Tensions remain high with Lebanon, where on Sunday an Israeli strike on a car in the south of the country killed three children and their grandmother, Lebanese authorities said. Israel’s chief military spokesperson said the military had attacked “terrorist targets of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon” in response to a missile attack against tanks that killed an Israeli citizen.
UN officials say civilians in Gaza are surviving on two pieces of bread a day, made from flour from their stores, and access to clean water is a constant problem. Another 75 aid trucks made it into Gaza via Egypt on Sunday, bringing the total to 525 since 21 October, although aid agencies say the supplies are a fraction of what is needed to stave off total humanitarian disaster. About 1.5 million Palestinians, or approximately 70% of Gaza’s population, are estimated to have fled their homes since the war began, following Israeli orders to evacuate to “safe zones” in the southern half of the strip, which have still been bombed. UN officials say civilians are surviving on two pieces of bread a day, made from flour from their stores, and access to clean water is a constant problem. Another 75 aid trucks made it into Gaza via Egypt on Sunday, bringing the total to 525 since 21 October, although aid agencies say the supplies are a fraction of what is needed to stave off total humanitarian disaster. On Monday, evacuations of foreigners, dual nationals and wounded Palestinians resumed, the Hamas government said.
The IDF said on Monday that water and humanitarian goods were available in the south of Gaza, but Hamas was impeding convoys by firing on them.
Hazem al-Enezi, the director of an orphanage in Gaza City housing 27 children, many of them under 10 and some with special needs, said he and the institute’s sole remaining staff member had managed to evacuate the children to an apartment belonging to a friend of Enezi in the south of Gaza City on Friday after the ground fighting drew too close to the building, already damaged in an airstrike.Hazem al-Enezi, the director of an orphanage in Gaza City housing 27 children, many of them under 10 and some with special needs, said he and the institute’s sole remaining staff member had managed to evacuate the children to an apartment belonging to a friend of Enezi in the south of Gaza City on Friday after the ground fighting drew too close to the building, already damaged in an airstrike.
They moved the children with the help of neighbours in a dangerous trip in civilian cars, surrounded by artillery fire. One of the vehicles was running on cooking gas rather than petrol as dwindling fuel supplies are directed to keeping hospital generators functioning.They moved the children with the help of neighbours in a dangerous trip in civilian cars, surrounded by artillery fire. One of the vehicles was running on cooking gas rather than petrol as dwindling fuel supplies are directed to keeping hospital generators functioning.
“I prayed to God we would make it,” he said. “We have moved, but we don’t have that many supplies for the young children.”“I prayed to God we would make it,” he said. “We have moved, but we don’t have that many supplies for the young children.”
Amid mounting diplomatic efforts by the US to secure a humanitarian pause in the fighting, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, arrived in Ankara for talks with the Turkish foreign minister, Hakan Fidan. Amid mounting diplomatic efforts by the US to secure a humanitarian pause in the fighting, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, met the Turkish foreign minister, Hakan Fidan for talks in Ankara.
The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, plans to travel across Turkey’s remote north-east on Monday in an apparent snub of Washington’s top diplomat. Blinken has supported Israel while trying to assure regional players that Washington is focused on relieving humanitarian suffering amid the ground offensive in Gaza. The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, travelled across Turkey’s remote north-east on Monday in an apparent snub of Washington’s top diplomat. Blinken has supported Israel while trying to assure regional players that Washington is focused on relieving humanitarian suffering amid the ground offensive in Gaza.
Erdoğan said on Sunday it was “Turkey’s duty” as a supporter of an independent Palestinian state to immediately stop the violence.Erdoğan said on Sunday it was “Turkey’s duty” as a supporter of an independent Palestinian state to immediately stop the violence.
Tensions increased with Lebanon on Sunday after an Israeli strike on a car in the south of the country killed three children and their grandmother, Lebanese authorities said.
Israel’s chief military spokesperson said the military had attacked “terrorist targets of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon” in response to a missile attack against tanks that killed an Israeli citizen.
Blinken’s visit follows a whirlwind tour of the Middle East that included an unannounced visit to the West Bank for talks with the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, on Sunday.Blinken’s visit follows a whirlwind tour of the Middle East that included an unannounced visit to the West Bank for talks with the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, on Sunday.
The US diplomat has been facing a chorus of Arab calls to support an immediate ceasefire. Foreign ministers from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates met Blinken in Amman on Saturday and also urged him to persuade Israel to agree to a ceasefire. Blinken visited Iraq on Sunday and held talks with the prime minister, Mohammed al-Sudani.The US diplomat has been facing a chorus of Arab calls to support an immediate ceasefire. Foreign ministers from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates met Blinken in Amman on Saturday and also urged him to persuade Israel to agree to a ceasefire. Blinken visited Iraq on Sunday and held talks with the prime minister, Mohammed al-Sudani.
There are continuing concerns for civilians inside Gaza, as the IDF said it had divided the besieged coastal strip into two and the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported “unprecedented bombardment” by Israel. CIA director William Burns reportedly arrived in Israel to discuss the war and intelligence with senior officials on Monday, the New York Times reported. Burns was also due to make stops in Middle Eastern countries to discuss the Gaza situation, the Times quoted an unnamed US official as saying.
Jordan’s military airdropped urgent medical aid to a Jordanian field hospital in Gaza early on Monday, according to a social post from Jordan’s king and reports in state media. “This is our duty to aid our brothers and sisters injured in the war on Gaza. We will always be there for our Palestinian brethren,” King Abdullah said. Jordan’s military airdropped urgent medical aid to a Jordanian field hospital in Gaza early on Monday, according to a social post from Jordan’s king and reports in state media.
The World Health Organization director, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said he was “very concerned” about the reports of connectivity outages in Gaza, as well as “heavy bombardments” of the territory and called for all channels of communication to be restored immediately.
“Without connectivity, people who need immediate medical attention cannot contact hospitals and ambulances,” he said.
In a rare joint statement, the heads of the UN’s major humanitarian agencies as well as international charities called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza, calling the situation “horrific” and “unacceptable”.In a rare joint statement, the heads of the UN’s major humanitarian agencies as well as international charities called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza, calling the situation “horrific” and “unacceptable”.
While condemning Hamas’s 7 October attack on Israel, the heads of Unicef, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) and Save the Children among others said: “The horrific killings of even more civilians in Gaza is an outrage, as is cutting off 2.2 million Palestinians from food, water, medicine, electricity and fuel.”
The UN said on Sunday that 88 staff members from its Palestinian refugees agency had been reported killed, which it said was “the highest number of United Nations fatalities ever recorded in a single conflict”.The UN said on Sunday that 88 staff members from its Palestinian refugees agency had been reported killed, which it said was “the highest number of United Nations fatalities ever recorded in a single conflict”.
IDF spokesperson Lt Col Jonathan Conricus said on Sunday there was access to water and humanitarian goods in the south of Gaza, but Hamas was impeding convoys by firing on them.
The US vice-president, Kamala Harris, will call foreign leaders later on Monday to discuss the conflict and advance White House efforts to increase the flow of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, her office said.
The CIA director, William Burns, has reportedly arrived in Israel to discuss the war and intelligence with senior officials, the New York Times reported. Burns also will make stops in other Middle East countries to discuss the Gaza situation, the Times quoted an unnamed US official as saying.