Israeli troops in ‘heart’ of Gaza City as cemeteries now full

Israeli troops in ‘heart’ of Gaza City

Israel’s army said it was fighting in the centre of Gaza City, still home to thousands of civilians facing an increasingly disastrous situation after a month of deadly war. 

Israeli soldiers were now “in the heart” of the Palestinian territory’s largest city, Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant said Tuesday evening. 

The comments signalled a new stage for the Israeli military as it moves toward what it says is the headquarters and stronghold of the Hamas..

Ground fighting and Israeli strikes have intensified in recent days to “destroy” the Palestinian militant group, he said, adding “there will be no humanitarian truce without the return of the hostages.”

More than 240 people were kidnapped by Hamas in southern Israel on 7 October, sparking the war. 

International organisations have incessantly called for an immediate ceasefire amid Israel’s retaliatory attacks in Gaza that have inflicted a horrific toll on civilians.

Gaza City was populated by some 600,000 people before fighting broke out. 

More than 10,300 people, including 4,237 children, have been killed in Israel strikes against Gaza since 7 October, according to the Palestinian authorities. 

At least 1,400 people – mostly civilians – died on the day of the Hamas attack, the deadliest in Israel’s history.

Gaza civilians ask to be ‘saved’, as cemeteries overflow

For Gaza’s 2.4 million residents, despair is now intense after a month of unrelenting Israeli bombardment.

“Stop this machine of destruction. Save us,” implored Hicham Koulab, a displaced Palestinian, caught up in Israeli bombings of Rafah, southern Gaza.

On Tuesday, Hamas said on Telegram that several cemeteries in the territory “are full and there is no more space for burials.”

Trapped in a pocket of land around 362 km2, Gazans have been subjected to a total siege, depriving them of water, electricity and food since 9 October. Internet and phone lines have also been intermittently shut down. 

In the north, people are “desperately seeking food”, with only three bakeries having stocks of flour, according to the OCHA. 

In the south, it takes “four to six hours of waiting on average to receive half of a normal portion of bread”, the UN organisation added. 

The Israeli army urged civilians to leave the north and refuge in the south, which it claims is safer. Yet, they have continued to bomb this part of Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people are crowded together.

More than 1.5 million people are estimated to be internally displaced inside Gaza.

Around half of the territory’s population are children. 

Hamas denies Israel is making big military gains in Gaza City

Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad said on Tuesday that Israeli forces were not making any significant military gains or that they had advanced deep into Gaza City.

“They never give the people the truth,” Hamad said. He added that numerous Israeli soldiers were killed on Monday and “many tanks were destroyed.”

“The Palestinians fight and fight and fight against Israel until we end the occupation,” said Hamad, who left Gaza for Beirut days before the attack.

Israel’s military says it has killed thousands of Hamas fighters in the monthlong war. 

Euronews cannot independently verify the claims of either side.

US does not support Israel re-occupying Gaza

The White House on Tuesday reiterated that President Joe Biden does not support an Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip once the war ends.

Asked about Netanyahu’s comments, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said he would leave it to Netanyahu to clarify what he means by having “indefinite” control of Gaza’s security.

“There needs to be a healthy set of conversations about what post-conflict Gaza looks like and what governance looks like,” Kirby told reporters. 

“What we absolutely agree with our Israeli counterparts on is what it can’t look like, and it can’t look like it looked on October 6.”

Biden previously said it would be a “mistake” for Israel to occupy Gaza.