GAZA/WASHINGTON - Israel’s military intensified its assault on Hamas militants in Gaza, as the United States and other global powers called for aid to continue flowing into the besieged strip to prevent an already grave humanitarian crisis from worsening.
Israel’s military said it had hit more than 400 militant targets in Gaza overnight and killed dozens of Hamas fighters, including three deputy battalion commanders.
In a statement, the military said that among the targets hit was a tunnel which allowed Hamas to infiltrate Israel from the sea and Hamas command centres in mosques. Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
Earlier, Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi suggested Israel has no intention of curbing its strikes on the densely populated Gaza Strip.
He also hinted the country is well-prepared for a ground assault.
“We want to bring Hamas to a state of full dismantling,” Mr Haveli said. “The path is a path of unrelenting attacks, damaging Hamas everywhere and in every way.
“We are well-prepared for the ground operations in the south,” he added, referring to southern Israel which abuts Gaza. “There are tactical, operative, strategic considerations that have provided additional time, and troops who have more time are better prepared, and that is what we are doing now.”
The Palestinian health ministry said the Gaza death toll in two weeks of air strikes has surpassed 5,000.
The Israeli bombardment was triggered by a Hamas assault on Oct 7 that killed more than 1,400 people. Gunmen from the militant group also took some 200 people hostage.
Hamas on Monday freed two Israeli women.
US President Joe Biden welcomed the release of the hostages.
He also underscored the need to sustain “a continuous flow” of humanitarian assistance into Gaza in a telephone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said.
On its part, China called for a “more authoritative, wide-ranging and effective international peace conference” soon, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki in a telephone call.
A Cairo peace summit on Saturday saw Arab leaders condemn Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, but fail to agree on a joint statement. Absent were Israel and the US.
In public, the United States has stressed Israel’s right to defend itself.
But two sources familiar with the matter said the White House, Pentagon and State Department have stepped up private appeals for caution in conversations with the Israelis.
A US priority is to gain time for negotiations to free other hostages.
Asked about the possibility of a ceasefire, US President Joe Biden said: ““We should have those hostages released and then we can talk.”
At least 10 British nationals have been killed in the conflict between Israel and Hamas and a further six remain missing, junior British finance minister Victoria Atkins told Times Radio on Tuesday.
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2023-10-24 07:03:15Z
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