CATASTROPHIC CONDITIONS
Hamas and smaller militant ally Islamic Jihad, both sworn to Israel's destruction, are believed to be holding more than 100 hostages from among 240 they captured during their Oct 7 rampage through Israeli towns, when they killed 1,200 people.
Since then, Israel has besieged the narrow Gaza Strip and laid much of it to waste, with more than 20,400 people confirmed killed, according to authorities in Hamas-ruled Gaza, and thousands more believed dead under the rubble.
The vast majority of the 2.3 million Gazans have been driven from their homes, and the United Nations says conditions are catastrophic.
Since a week-long truce collapsed at the start of the month, fighting has only intensified on the ground, with war spreading from the north of the Gaza Strip to the full length of the densely populated enclave.
The Israeli military said on Monday that two of its soldiers had died in the past day, bringing to 158 the number killed since ground operations began on Oct 20.
A day earlier Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had acknowledged the "heavy cost" but said there was "no choice" but to continue to fight deeper into Gaza until "total victory" over Hamas.
He said in a video message that troops would fight deeper into Gaza until "total victory" over Hamas.
Israel has been under pressure from its closest ally, the United States, to shift operations to a lower-intensity phase and reduce civilian deaths.
On Saturday, Israel's military chief of staff said his forces had largely achieved operational control in the north of Gaza and would expand operations further in the south.
But residents say fighting has only intensified in northern districts.
Diplomatic efforts, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, on a new truce to free the remaining hostages held in Gaza have yielded little public progress, although Washington described the talks last week as "very serious".
Netanyahu was due to attend a parliamentary discussion of the issue on Monday afternoon and then to convene a session of his war cabinet, Israeli officials told Reuters.
Islamic Jihad said a delegation led by its exiled leader Ziad al-Nakhlala was in Cairo on Sunday. His arrival followed talks attended by Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in recent days.
The militant groups have said they would not discuss any release of hostages unless Israel ends its war in Gaza, while the Israelis say they are willing to discuss only a pause in fighting.
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2023-12-25 02:01:00Z
CBMibGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vd29ybGQvaXNyYWVsaS1haXJzdHJpa2VzLWtpbGwtZG96ZW5zLXdhci1kZWFkbGllc3QtbmlnaHRzLWhhbWFzLWdhemEtNDAwOTk5NtIBAA
