Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has denounced the conflict as a “grave crime” against his people, while Israel’s army chief, Herzi Halevi, has emphasized that the ongoing confrontation with Hamas is expected to endure for “many more months”.
On Tuesday, Israel reportedly targeted more than 100 sites, with indications of potential ground operations in central Gaza. The region experienced intense explosions audible from the Gaza Strip to the Israeli perimeter in the early hours of Wednesday.
Gaza’s health ministry reported 382 individuals sustaining injuries within the same 24-hour period. The ministry further indicated that at least 20,915 Palestinians, predominately children and women, have perished during over 11 weeks of combat; however, these figures have not undergone independent verification.
The conflict commenced on October 7 following a series of lethal attacks by Hamas on Israeli communities, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals, predominantly civilians. Furthermore, around 240 individuals were reportedly taken hostage and later released back to Gaza.
President Abbas has characterized the conflict in the Gaza Strip as an unprecedented catastrophe and a war of annihilation, surpassing anything witnessed in Palestinian history. During his initial interview since the commencement of the war, held in Ramallah with an Egyptian TV channel, he expressed concerns about the unrecognizable condition of the territory and issued a warning regarding the potential implosion of the occupied West Bank. Moreover, the Palestinian leader accused Washington of perpetuating the war by utilizing its veto power to block UN draft resolutions advocating for a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Lt Gen Halevi, the chief of staff for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), asserted during a news conference that the conflict would persist for an extended duration to safeguard Israel’s accomplishments.
He emphasized the necessity of unwavering determination and persistence in combatting and dismantling a terrorist organization, emphasizing that there are no quick fixes or magical solutions. Additionally, a visual depiction of smoke rising over the Gaza Strip from the Israeli side of the border was captured on December 26, 2023, in Southern Israel.The general acknowledged the complexity of the terrain and expressed determination to apprehend or neutralize the Hamas leadership, even if it required a prolonged effort.
He also stated that the IDF was nearing the dismantling of all Hamas battalions in northern Gaza. In addition, Israeli and Arab media have reported Egypt’s proposal for a ceasefire plan. According to these reports, the plan entails the gradual release of all Israeli hostages and an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, culminating in a suspension of Israel’s offensive.
A prior temporary truce brokered by Qatar resulted in the release of numerous hostages from Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Despite these developments, both Israel and Hamas have thus far resisted calls for an enduring ceasefire.
+ There are no comments
Add yours