Any “indiscriminate” attack on densely populated areas or the blocking of aid that people need to “survive” may constitute a “war crime”. He declared it the head of United Nations humanitarian affairs, Martin Griffiths, while Israel increases military operations in the city of Rafah, in the south of the Stripwhere according to the UN about half of all the inhabitants of the Palestinian enclave are gathered.
The population of this city has increased fivefold, “with families crammed into shelters and sleeping outdoors”, reported Griffiths, warning of a possible “health disaster”.
Griffiths also warned that the war in Gaza will lead to a worsening of the situation in other areas. “The conflict is a fire that threatens to consume the West Bank, Lebanon and the entire region,” she said, stressing that “this war must end.”
Israel's evacuation orders now cover 246 square kilometers or two thirds of the entire territory of the Gaza Strip, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs announced, specifying that almost 1.8 people lived in the affected area. million Palestinians (77% of the entire population) before the invasion of the enclave following the Hamas massacre on 7 October.
At the start of the war, the Israeli army asked Palestinians to leave their homes in northern Gaza to reduce the number of casualties caused by raids and ground fighting. Over the course of the war, evacuation orders have spread to several parts of the south, including the town of Khan Yunis and surrounding areas, the current epicenter of Israel's ground offensive. More than half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people is now in the city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt
Israel: “Close to Hamas leader's hideout”. IDF fighting in southern Gaza
Israeli troops operating in the Gaza Strip are closing in on Hamas military chief Yahya Sinwar. This was assured by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaking to journalists. “Sinwar is on the run, he moves from one hideout to another, he went from being the head of Hamas to a terrorist on the run,” he said, as reported by the i24news broadcaster.
Speaking to the press, Gallant noted that the next decisive point for the Israel Defense Forces will be Rafah, once the Hamas brigades in Khan Yunis have been defeated. It is likely – he finally concluded – that hostilities will continue for several months.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops continue to fight against Hamas militants above and below ground in Khan Younis, in the south, as well as carrying out incursions into the northern and central parts of the Strip. In reporting the progress of the operations in the last few hours, the IDF – quoted by the Times of Israel – informs that during a night air attack in Deir al-Balah, in the center of Gaza, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist who participated attacking Nir Oz during the assault on 7 October, he was killed. Over the past 24 hours, the military has killed dozens of Hamas militants and captured around 80 suspected terrorists, many of whom participated in the October 7 massacre.
Gunfire at IDF checkpoints in the West Bank
Shots were fired at an Israeli army checkpoint in Nablus, West Bank. The media of the Jewish State reported it, specifying that no soldiers were injured. According to the first reconstruction, an attacker – armed with a knife and a gun – managed to fire some shots at the soldiers, who returned fire “neutralizing” him.
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