This January 16 saw some of the most intense fighting so far this year between the Israeli Army and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, after the return of tanks from foreign troops to the north of the enclave. At least 158 people have died in the last 24 hours in Palestinian territory, while the death toll rises to 24,285. The bloodshed continues a day after Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant assured that “the intensive phase” of the war would end soon in the south and north of the besieged enclave.
Massive explosions, gunshots that crossed the border on the Israeli side and the death of dozens of people. This Tuesday some of the most intense clashes between the Israeli Army and Hamas in the Gaza Strip were revived.
Plumes of smoke rose as the Iron Dome defense system shot down rockets fired from Gaza, a sign, according to the Jewish-majority country, that Hamas retains the ability to launch projectiles more than 100 days away. escalation of war.
Simultaneously, massive explosions were observed in areas of the north and south of the Palestinian enclave as a result of the Israeli attacks. An image that in the last two weeks had been witnessed less frequently in the north and with greater intensity in the rest of the Strip, after Israel announced a reduction of its forces in the north of Gaza territory.
In the midst of the bombings of the last 24 hours, at least 158 people died, what raised the total number of Palestinians killed, since October 7, at 24,285, most of them civilians, The local Ministry of Health said in the last few hours. Thousands more bodies are feared unaccounted for in the rubble.
Israel, for its part, said its troops killed dozens of Hamas fighters. during clashes in Beit Lahiya, on the northern edge of the besieged Strip.
The Israeli airstrikes targeted militants of the Palestinian group in the Shati area of the North, as well as in Khan Younis, in the south, according to the Defense Forces of that country.
End of the “intensive phase”?
Under pressure from its major ally, the United States, to reduce civilian deaths, Israel had signaled that it was changing tactics, moving from a large-scale ground attack to “selective” operations against Hamas militants who control the enclave.
The country's Army led by Benjamin Netanyahu began this change with a withdrawal in the north, where its forces began their ground offensive at the end of October, after weeks of air strikes, in response to the Hamas attack on October 7, which left around 1,200 people killed in southern Israel, as well as more than 240 kidnapped.
Additionally, on Monday, January 15, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that The “intensive phase” of the war in the north was coming to an end. According to Gallant, troops have almost complete military control there and its military engages in low-intensity operations to “locate remaining Hamas sites and kill or capture the last members of the terrorist group.”
Likewise, the leader of the Defense portfolio announced that “in the southern Gaza Strip, the intensive phase will end soon” and added that as part of that operation, the military cut the roads that lead to Rafah “above and below the ground”, operations with which they cut the roads that connect that city with Khan Younis to prevent the leaders of Hamas flee.
But any path to a reduction in the war still seems remote: Israel assures that it will not stop until it “eliminates” Hamas and for now the fighters show no signs of losing the ability to resist.
In fact, despite his announcements, Gallant ruled out a ceasefire in the short term because the group that controls the enclave would not agree to release more hostages without military pressure.
After the death of some kidnapped people, according to Hamas due to Israeli bombings, and after the temporary truce that the two sides experienced at the end of 2023, which included the release of several hostages, around 100 people remain kidnappedindicates the Netanyahu Administration.
The most recent hostage deaths were known on Monday, January 15, when Hamas released a video showing the bodies of two men being held in Gaza. According to the Islamist movement, they were killed by an Israeli bombing and they are two of the hostages who had been shown alive in other images published by the group over the weekend.
Israel has previously denied responsibility for the deaths of hostages from its attacks on the enclave by air, sea and land and has accused Islamist militants of murdering them.
European Union sanctions Hamas leader
This is Yahya Sinwar, leader of the political arm of the Islamist movement. The measures against him dictate the prohibition of entering the bloc of 27 countries and the freezing of his property and assets in European entities.
In addition, Brussels established that no company or individual from the EU can provide financial aid.
European Union authorities also reported that they are finalizing details on the sanctions that would be imposed on those individuals, companies or organizations that provide funds to Hamas.
At the same time, Brussels indicates that it is discussing the possibility of applying sanctions to Israeli settlers involved in the murders of Palestinians in settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Violence against Palestinians has skyrocketed in the rest of the Palestinian Territories, which suffer abuses from both the Israeli Army and Jewish settlers.
Although the United States maintains its strong support for Israel's war in Gaza, it has recently begun to qualify its position by calling on its ally to reduce violence against civilians. Last December, Washington announced visa sanctions for “extremist” settlers responsible for aggression in the West Bank.
With Reuters, AP and EFE
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