Israel has declared a shift in its strategy against Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip, opting for a more targeted approach. The intensified aerial assault has led to the displacement of families, with some resorting to fleeing on donkey carts loaded with belongings and children.
Israeli shelling in Gaza on Thursday resulted in over 20 Palestinian casualties, including nine children. A separate Israeli airstrike in Al-Nusseirat refugee camp claimed the lives of five Palestinians. Residents from several refugee camps, including Al-Bureij, Al-Maghazi, and Al-Nusseirat, fled the attacks, with some families using donkey carts to transport their belongings over muddy terrain.
As night fell on Thursday, Israeli planes and tanks increased shelling in the eastern directions of Al-Maghazi and Al-Nusseirat refugee camps. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant outlined a new phase of Israel’s operation, focusing on targeted actions in the north and pursuing Hamas leaders in the south, with the goal of freeing remaining hostages held by Hamas.
Under international pressure, Israel has been reducing its forces in Gaza to allow reservists to return to their jobs. Gallant said that operations in the north would involve raids, tunnel demolitions, air and ground strikes, and special forces operations. In the south, the emphasis would be on eliminating Hamas leaders and rescuing Israeli hostages.
Gallant stated that after the conflict, Hamas would no longer control Gaza, with Palestinian bodies taking charge as long as there was no threat to Israel. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken planned to travel to the Middle East to address the escalating conflict.
The three-month-long war against Hamas has raised concerns about its expansion beyond Gaza, involving the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Hezbollah forces on the Lebanon-Israel border, and Red Sea shipping lanes.
As the conflict continues, the death toll in Gaza has reached 22,438, and Israel claims to have killed 8,000 fighters.
In response to the reported strike in Al-Mawasi, on the western side of Khan Younis, the Israeli military expressed regret for civilian deaths but accused Hamas of operating in densely populated areas. Hamas denies using civilians as human shields. The Israeli military reported killing three Hamas militants attempting to detonate explosives near ground troops and later destroying an underground military compound in Gaza.
(Input from Reuters)