Israeli forces continued their airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Monday, targeting various locations in the south, north, and center of the territory. This comes ahead of an expected announcement by Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group, regarding the fate of three Israeli hostages who were featured in a recent video clip.
Health officials reported that twelve Palestinians were killed and many others were wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza City in the north. Israeli tanks also shelled the main southern city of Khan Younis, with plumes of smoke rising in the area. In Khan Younis, clashes erupted between Hamas militants and Israeli forces, while tank barrages were reported near the Al-Bureij and Al-Maghazi refugee camps in central Gaza.
Local journalist Doaa El-Baz, standing amidst the rubble in Al-Nusseirat refugee camp, lamented the extensive destruction, saying, “This whole neighborhood is destroyed. Not a single house has been spared. They killed all our dreams here. The house where I grew up and spent all my childhood.”
For a fourth consecutive day, communications in the narrow coastal enclave remained severed, according to residents.
The Israeli military released a statement confirming that they had killed two Palestinian fighters in an airstrike on their vehicle in Khan Younis. Additionally, Israeli forces raided a Hamas command center in the same city and struck two arms caches.
An Israeli soldier walks near pictures that are part of an installation at the site of the Nova festival, where people were killed and kidnapped during the October 7 attack by Hamas gunmen from Gaza, in Reim, southern Israel, January 14, 2024. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
The three Israeli hostages are among the 240 seized by Hamas militants during a surprise cross-border attack into southern Israel on October 7. This assault prompted an extensive aerial and ground offensive by Israeli forces, resulting in significant casualties. Health officials report that approximately 24,100 people have been killed, with nearly 61,000 wounded since the conflict began. In the past 24 hours alone, 132 more fatalities were recorded, indicating ongoing intensity in Israel’s offensive, despite a shift to a more targeted phase.
Israel’s military has indicated its intention to focus on targeted operations against the leaders and positions of Hamas in the south, following the initial all-out offensive in the northern part of the Strip. Nonetheless, nearly two million displaced individuals are currently seeking shelter in tents and temporary accommodations in the south, with the region facing severe challenges such as food, fuel, and medicine shortages, potentially leading to starvation and disease outbreaks.
Hamas recently released a video displaying the three Israeli hostages they are holding in Gaza and called on the Israeli government to cease its aerial and ground offensive in exchange for their release. Half of the hostages taken in the October 7 incursion were released during a brief truce in November, but 132 individuals are still believed to be held in Gaza, with 25 reported dead.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking in Egypt, urged the prompt resumption of Israel-Palestinian peace talks, emphasizing the need for a “two-state solution” with a specific timetable and roadmap for implementation. However, peace talks have been absent since 2014, and the situation remains complex, with different Palestinian factions holding differing stances.
An aircraft takes off to join the U.S.-led coalition operation against military targets in Yemen, aimed at the Iran-backed Houthi militia that has been targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, from an undisclosed location, in this screengrab from a handout video released on January 12, 2024. US Central Command via X/Handout via REUTERS
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, expressing determination to achieve complete victory over Hamas and secure the release of the remaining hostages.
With concerns of a wider Middle East conflict growing, the U.S. military reported that its fighter aircraft had intercepted an anti-ship cruise missile fired from Houthi militant areas of Yemen toward a U.S. destroyer operating in the Southern Red Sea. The Houthis have been attacking international shipping in the Red Sea, citing support for Palestinians in Gaza as their motive. Recent American and British airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen have raised tensions, with the Iranian-backed militia threatening a strong response.
British defense minister Grant Schapps indicated that the possibility of further airstrikes against the Houthis is uncertain, emphasizing the importance of protecting international freedom of navigation.
