Tuesday, October 31, 2023

THE FALLOUT FROM OCTOBER 7

Israel say they carried out airstrike that Hamas claim killed more than 50 people at Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp: 'Dozens of bodies' are recovered after site is reduced to giant crater - IDF claim their jets took out senior jihadi commander

 

By Elena Salvoni, Rachael Bunyan, Arthur Parashar and Nick Craven

 

Daily Mail

Oct 31, 2023

 


  

Israel has confirmed that it was behind an airstrike at the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, where the Hamas-run health authority has claimed more than 50 people have been killed and 150 wounded.

Israel Defence Forces' (IDF) spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that Israeli fighter jets carried out the attack, which he claimed killed a senior Hamas commander and caused the terror group's underground infrastructure to collapse. 

The IDF claimed that Ibrahim Biari, the commander of Hamas's Central Jabaliya Battalion who they say was one of the leaders behind the October 7 massacre in Israel, was killed in the intense blast. 

In a statement, the IDF said: 'A short while ago, IDF fighter jets, acting on ISA intelligence, killed Ibrahim Biari, the Commander of Hamas' Central Jabaliya Battalion. Biari was one of the leaders responsible for sending 'Nukbha' terrorist operatives to Israel to carry out the murderous terror attack on October 7th.' 

Buildings have been levelled in the densely-populated neighbourhood, opening up huge sinkholes, with residents likening it to an earthquake and saying that the ground began to collapse around them. 

Pictures show apocalyptic scenes, with scores of distraught onlookers gathered around two vast craters which some clambered into as they desperately searched for any survivors. 

Meanwhile, dozens of white body bags have filled up the nearby streets, awaiting burial at the hospital near the encampment. 

A Gazan health ministry statement said: 'More than 50 martyrs and around 150 wounded and dozens under the rubble, in a heinous Israeli massacre that targeted a large area of homes in Jabalia camp in the northern Strip.'

 

Pictures show scores of onlookers gathered around two vast craters, which some ventured into as they desperately scrambled to find any survivors

Pictures show scores of onlookers gathered around two vast craters, which some ventured into as they desperately scrambled to find any survivors

The IDF claimed that Ibrahim Biari (pictured in image supplied by IDF), the commander of Hamas's Central Jabaliya Battalion who they say was one of the leaders behind the October 7 massacre in Israel, was killed in the intense blast

The IDF claimed that Ibrahim Biari (pictured in image supplied by IDF), the commander of Hamas's Central Jabaliya Battalion who they say was one of the leaders behind the October 7 massacre in Israel, was killed in the intense blast

Palestinians search for casualties at the site of alleged Israeli strikes on houses in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip

Palestinians search for casualties at the site of alleged Israeli strikes on houses in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip

Meanwhile, dozens of white body bags have filled up the nearby streets, awaiting burial at the Indonesian hospital near the encampment

Meanwhile, dozens of white body bags have filled up the nearby streets, awaiting burial at the Indonesian hospital near the encampment

A distraught father carries an injured child as dust fills the air following attacks on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza

A distraught father carries an injured child as dust fills the air following attacks on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza

Palestinians search for casualties after houses in the Jabalia refugee camp were hit in the northern Gaza Strip

Palestinians search for casualties after houses in the Jabalia refugee camp were hit in the northern Gaza Strip

 
 
Gutted buildings are barely standing after a blast ripped through the Jabalia refugee camp

Gutted buildings are barely standing after a blast ripped through the Jabalia refugee camp

Palestinian residents of the camp carry casualties through the charred remains of buildings

Palestinian residents of the camp carry casualties through the charred remains of buildings 

Aerial photographs show scenes of utter devastation with high rise buildings ripped apart and flattened

Aerial photographs show scenes of utter devastation with high rise buildings ripped apart and flattened

Horrified onlookers gather around a huge crater in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza

Horrified onlookers gather around a huge crater in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza

A screen grab captured from a video shared online shows people conducting search and rescue operation under the debris of a destroyed building

A screen grab captured from a video shared online shows people conducting search and rescue operation under the debris of a destroyed building

Pictures of the site show apocalyptic scenes as distraught onlookers and rescuers enter a sinkhole to desperately dig through the rubble for any survivors

Pictures of the site show apocalyptic scenes as distraught onlookers and rescuers enter a sinkhole to desperately dig through the rubble for any survivors

Plumes of smoke rise over Gaza amid continued Israeli bombardment of the strip three weeks after Hamas's October 7 attack

Plumes of smoke rise over Gaza amid continued Israeli bombardment of the strip three weeks after Hamas's October 7 attack

Multistorey buildings were reduced to rubble and dust, with people's belongings flung about by the force of the explosion

Multistorey buildings were reduced to rubble and dust, with people's belongings flung about by the force of the explosion

Crowds gathered around to see the devastation to the camp with their own eyes. The UN says 116,000 people are registered there

Crowds gathered around to see the devastation to the camp with their own eyes. The UN says 116,000 people are registered there

 

If confirmed, the number will increase an already mounting death toll in Gaza - which Hamas earlier declared had topped 8,525. The majority of those killed are thought to be civilians.

Jabalia is the largest of the besieged enclave's eight refugee camps and is densely populated - with 116,000 refugees registered there and residents forced to live in crammed, substandard conditions, according to the United Nations

The IDF said that 'numerous Hamas terrorists were hit in the strike'. They said that Biari was also responsible for sending terrorists to murder 13 Israelis in Ashdod Port in 2004 and directing rocket fire and other attacks on Israel for the last two decades.

The IDF added: 'His elimination was carried out as part of a wide-scale strike on terrorists and terror infrastructure belonging to the Central Jabaliya Battalion, which had taken control over civilian buildings in Gaza City.

'The strike damaged Hamas' command and control in the area, as well as its ability to direct military activity against IDF soldiers operating throughout the Gaza Strip. As a result of the strike, a large number of terrorists who were with Biari were killed. 

'Underground terror infrastructure embedded beneath the buildings, used by the terrorists, also collapsed after the strike. The IDF reiterates its call to the residents of the area to move south for their safety.'

Speaking at a news conference, Hagari said that the targeting of the office that Biari was based at led to other buildings collapsing. In Hebrew, he said: 'The purpose of that infrastructure was to carry out terrorist activities against our forces. The entire infrastructure collapsed and many terrorists were killed.'

He added: 'Hamas terrorists continue to use the civilian population as human shields intentionally and in a very cruel and brutal manner.'

Hagari said that Israel will continue to operate with 'full force' in Gaza City as he urged Palestinians to move south. 

 

A building is completely leveled by suspected Israeli airstrikes, with Palestinian firefighters battling blazes and rescuers searching the rubble for any signs of life

A building is completely leveled by suspected Israeli airstrikes, with Palestinian firefighters battling blazes and rescuers searching the rubble for any signs of life

Devastated Palestinians assess the damage following a suspected Israeli airstrike on Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza

Devastated Palestinians assess the damage following a suspected Israeli airstrike on Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza

Palestinians search for survivors after Israel launched air strikes at the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza on Tuesday

Palestinians search for survivors after Israel launched air strikes at the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza on Tuesday

Men carried injured children after the Jabalia refugee camp came under attack as Israel attempted to kill Hamas terrorists

Men carried injured children after the Jabalia refugee camp came under attack as Israel attempted to kill Hamas terrorists  

 

Figures released by Hamas on the number of Hamas casualties cannot be independently verified. However, journalists on the ground in Jabalia have reported seeing dozens of bodies, with more expected to be trapped under the rubble.

Aerial photographs show scenes of utter devastation with high rise buildings ripped apart and flattened, with only charred debris remaining where they once stood. 

Agonised cries filled the dusty air as volunteers clawed through the concrete blocks and twisted metal in a desperate search for survivors and bodies. 

Ragheb Aqal, a Jabalia resident, described the blasts as 'an earthquake' which shook the entire refugee camp. 

'I went and saw the destruction... homes buried under the rubble and body parts and martyrs and wounded in huge numbers,' the 41-year-old told AFP.

'There's no exaggerating when they talk about hundreds of martyrs and wounded.

People were still 'transporting the remains of children, women and elderly', he added.

A spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent told Al Jazeera that emergency workers are still desperately trying to transfer casualties to hospital following the attack. 

According to the UN, the camp is overcrowded and those living there have poor living conditions. 

'Shelters are built in close proximity to one another and there is a general lack of recreational and social space. In many cases, residents have had to add extra floors to their shelters to accommodate their families. Often, these lack proper design. Many live in substandard conditions,' it says.

Pictures from another refugee camp, Nuseirat in central Gaza, show decimated buildings after what Palestinian media claims was another Israeli strike.

It comes after authorities in the Gaza Strip said the death toll had risen to 8,525 since Israel launched its bombing campaign on October 7, which would mean, as over recent weeks, that hundreds were killed in overnight raids.

Israel today said it has killed 'dozens' of Hamas terrorists during 'fierce' fighting 'deep' inside Gaza with video showing soldiers scouring the streets for the gunmen amid raging battles. 

Israel said its forces had fought Hamas gunmen inside the militants' vast tunnel network today, attacking Hamas positions in a bid to free hostages trapped there.

 
 
An Israeli tank is seen pushing through Gaza amid Israel's ground invasion on Tuesday

An Israeli tank is seen pushing through Gaza amid Israel's ground invasion on Tuesday

 

Israel is expanding ground operations inside Gaza to wipe out Hamas following its gun rampage three weeks ago that killed over 1,400 people.

In the fifth day of major ground operations inside northern Gaza, the army said it had engaged in 'fierce battles' with Hamas terrorists, with footage showing columns of tanks and soldiers advancing further into the besieged enclave.

The IDF said its forces 'struck a Hamas terrorist outpost' in the northern Gaza Strip in the last few hours where they killed 'dozens' of gunmen and destroyed anti-tank missile launch and observation posts. 

 

Israeli troops are seen 'deep' within the territory of the Gaza Strip

Israeli troops are seen 'deep' within the territory of the Gaza Strip 

 

Video released by the IDF shows Israeli troops walking through the bombed out streets of northern Gaza while raising their guns at the destroyed buildings - ready to pounce at any movement of Hamas terrorists potentially hiding within. 

The army said it had hit around 300 targets and confiscated 'numerous weapons' such as guns and bombs as well as 'military compounds inside underground tunnels' belonging to Hamas terrorists. 

The tunnels under the cramped enclave are a prime objective for Israel. Some of the 240 hostages that Israel says were seized by Hamas that day are believed to be held in the tunnel complex, adding a further complication for the Israelis on top of the difficulties of fighting in an urban setting. 

In response, Hamas gunmen attacked Israeli forces with machine gun fire and anti-tank missiles. 'The soldiers killed terrorists and directed air forces to real-time strikes on targets and terror infrastructure,' the IDF said. 

And Hamas terrorists launched nine Grad rockets at the southern city of Ashdod today, leaving four people injured, one of whom is said to be 'very serious'. Video shows cars engulfed in flames, with black smoke filling the air. 

 

Palestinian children mourn relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, in front of the morgue in Deir al Balah on Tuesday

Palestinian children mourn relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, in front of the morgue in Deir al Balah on Tuesday

A Palestinian man from al-Badrasawi family carries the body of his child who was killed in Israeli strikes, at Shuhada Al-Aqsa hospital in the central Gaza Strip on Tuesday

A Palestinian man from al-Badrasawi family carries the body of his child who was killed in Israeli strikes, at Shuhada Al-Aqsa hospital in the central Gaza Strip on Tuesday

 

The fighting came after Netanyahu on Monday evening slapped aside a call from 120 countries for a sustained humanitarian truce, saying such a ceasefire would be 'surrendering' to Hamas. 

'This will not happen,' the premier said, vowing Israel would 'fight until this battle is won'. 'Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas,' he said.

Israel launched the war on October 7 in retribution for Hamas-led raids on Israeli homes, farms and villages that killed an estimated 1,400 people, according to Israeli officials.

More than three weeks of massive and sustained Israeli aerial bombardments have been followed by a large-scale ground offensive inside Gaza.

On Monday, witnesses said Israeli forces targeted Gaza's main north-south road on Monday and attacked Gaza City from two directions. They said they saw 'dozens' of Israeli tanks operating on the southern outskirts of Gaza City.

Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, said ground operations are focused on northern Gaza, including Gaza City, which he said was the 'centr of gravity of Hamas.'

'But we also continue to strike in other parts of Gaza. We are hunting their commanders, we are attacking their infrastructure, and whenever there is an important target that is related to Hamas, we strike it,' he said.

Israel's military also released images of mechanized units grinding through coastal sands in northern Gaza. Video also shows soldiers walking across an open area as heavy gunfire echoes in the background and setting up a position in the ruins of a heavily damaged building.

They claimed an early victory: the rescue of one missing woman soldier from Hamas captivity.

The release of Private Ori Megidish, 19, was 'secured during a ground operation' inside Gaza the army said, adding she was now in Israel, reunited with family and was 'doing well'.

 

Israeli soldiers gather near the border with Gaza before entering the Palestinian enclave on Tuesday amid ongoing battles

Israeli soldiers gather near the border with Gaza before entering the Palestinian enclave on Tuesday amid ongoing battles 

 

'She has provided intelligence that we'll be able to use for future operations' said army spokesman Jonathan Conricus. 'We are committed and determined to get all of the 238 hostages that are still inside Gaza,' he added. The IDF has since increased the number of hostages to 240. 

But the toll of Israel's war in Gaza has sparked a global backlash.

Conricus said some 800,000 people have heeded the Israeli military's orders to flee from the northern part of the strip to the south. But tens of thousands of people remain in and around Gaza City, and casualties are expected to mount on both sides as the battle moves into dense, residential neighbourhoods. 

According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, Israel's relentless bombing campaign has killed 8,306 people, including 3,457 children, since October 7.

BLOODY HABDS IN CONGRESS

Protesters calling Antony Blinken a 'murderer' demand ceasefire in Gaza and derail hearing: Demonstrators hauled out and put up hands covered in 'blood' amid chaos in Congress

Protesters interrupted a hearing about aid to Israel and Ukraine. Blinken sat in silence as protesters called him a murderer

 

By Nick Allen 

 

Daily Mail

Oct 31, 2023

 

Protesters caused chaos in Congress on Tuesday by interrupting Antony Blinken's testimony to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and call for the U.S. to stop 'supporting genocide'

Protesters caused chaos in Congress on Tuesday by interrupting Antony Blinken's testimony to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and call for the U.S. to stop 'supporting genocide' 

 

Protesters drenched in fake blood caused chaos in Congress on Tuesday by interrupting Antony Blinken's testimony on Israel to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and call for the U.S. to stop 'supporting genocide'.

Demonstrators called the Secretary of State a 'murderer' who has 'blood on his hands' during mayhem at the start of the hearing on Middle East and Ukraine aid in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

A dozen protesters were arrested for disrupting the hearing. 

Blinken's comments were cut off multiple times by members of the audience waving signs calling for an end to the 'siege' of Gaza.

He and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin were forced to sit in silence as protesters chanted 'ceasefire now' and held up their hands covered in red paint.

 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken (foreground) looks ahead as demonstrators with 'bloody' hands derail the hearing

Secretary of State Antony Blinken (foreground) looks ahead as demonstrators with 'bloody' hands derail the hearing 

 

Capitol Police were seen dragging at least five demonstrators out as the disarray led to the suspension of the hearing, before officers could restore order.

One woman called the officers 'terrorists' and demanded to know why 'they' weren't being handcuffed. 

The latest stunt follows a string of similar demonstrations on Capitol Hill over the Israel-Hamas war and comes less than 24 hours after Republicans announced a plan to send $14.3billion to Israel.

'Stop the brutal, brutal massacre in Gaza…Ceasefire now! Ceasefire now,' one heckler shouted.

They also held signs saying: 'All the walls have got to go' and 'Free Gaza'.

Another shouted: 'Blinken, you have blood on your hands! Murderer.

Blinken restarted his testimony when order restored inside the hearing room. He referenced the demonstrators by saying the U.S. is committed to 'protecting civilian life.'

'I also hear very much the passions expressed in this room and outside this room. All of us are committed to the protection of civilian life,' he said

Just before the hearing began, Israel said it has killed 'dozens' of Hamas terrorists during 'fierce' fighting 'deep' inside Gaza with video showing soldiers scouring the streets for the gunmen amid raging battles. 

Israeli troops attacked Hamas positions within the terrorists' vast tunnel network - a key objective for Israel as it expands ground operations inside Gaza to wipe out Hamas following its gun rampage three weeks ago that killed over 1,400 people.

 

Amid chaotic scenes Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Ausitn were forced to sit silently as demonstrators chanted 'Ceasefire now!

Amid chaotic scenes Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Ausitn were forced to sit silently as demonstrators chanted 'Ceasefire now!

Capitol Police remove one of the protesters after she joined the demonstration that derailed Blinken's testimony

Capitol Police remove one of the protesters after she joined the demonstration that derailed Blinken's testimony 

Capitol Police dragged at least five demonstrators out as the chaos suspended the hearing

Capitol Police dragged at least five demonstrators out as the chaos suspended the hearing

Blinken was able to resume his testimony and insisted the U.S. is focused on 'protecting civilian lives'

Blinken was able to resume his testimony and insisted the U.S. is focused on 'protecting civilian lives'

 

On the fifth day of major ground operations inside northern Gaza, the army said it had engaged in 'fierce battles' with Hamas terrorists, with footage showing columns of tanks and soldiers advancing further into the besieged enclave.

The IDF said its forces 'struck a Hamas terrorist outpost' in the northern Gaza Strip in the last few hours where they killed 'dozens' of gunmen and destroyed anti-tank missile launch and observation posts. 

Video released by the IDF shows Israeli troops walking through the bombed out streets of northern Gaza while raising their guns at the destroyed buildings - ready to pounce at any movement of Hamas terrorists potentially hiding within. 

The army said it had hit around 300 targets and confiscated 'numerous weapons' such as guns and bombs as well as 'military compounds inside underground tunnels' belonging to Hamas terrorists. 

 

A protester shows off their hands covered in blood during the demonstration in Congress

A protester shows off their hands covered in blood during the demonstration in Congress 

The latest stunt follows a string of similar demonstrations on Capitol Hill over the Israel-Hamas war

The latest stunt follows a string of similar demonstrations on Capitol Hill over the Israel-Hamas war

A Capitol Police officer approaches a woman holding a sign saying 'no to the siege of Gaza'

A Capitol Police officer approaches a woman holding a sign saying 'no to the siege of Gaza'

An Israeli tank is seen pushing through Gaza amid Israel's ground invasion on Tuesday

An Israeli tank is seen pushing through Gaza amid Israel's ground invasion on Tuesday 

Blinken was all smiles on Monday night when his children received candy from President Biden during the White House Halloween party

Blinken was all smiles on Monday night when his children received candy from President Biden during the White House Halloween party 

 

In response, Hamas gunmen attacked Israeli forces with machine gun fire and anti-tank missiles. 'The soldiers killed terrorists and directed air forces to real-time strikes on targets and terror infrastructure,' the IDF said. 

The fighting came after Netanyahu on Monday evening slapped aside a call from 120 countries for a sustained humanitarian truce, saying such a ceasefire would be 'surrendering' to Hamas. 

'This will not happen,' the premier said, vowing Israel would 'fight until this battle is won'. 

'Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas,' he said.

SO FAR ONLY ONE HOSTAGE HAS BEEN FREED

Israel says it has killed 'dozens of terrorists' during 'fierce' fighting 'deep' inside Gaza as soldiers scour streets for gunmen amid raging battles in bid to free hostages from Hamas' tunnel network

 

By Rachael Bunyan and Nick Craven

 

Daily Mail

Oct 31, 2023

 

An Israeli tank is seen pushing through Gaza amid Israel's ground invasion on Tuesday 

An Israeli tank is seen pushing through Gaza amid Israel's ground invasion on Tuesday 


Israel today said it has killed 'dozens' of Hamas terrorists during 'fierce' fighting 'deep' inside Gaza with video showing soldiers scouring the streets for the gunmen amid raging battles. 

Israeli troops attacked Hamas positions within the terrorists' vast tunnel network in a bid to free hostages trapped there - a key objective for Israel as it expands ground operations inside Gaza to wipe out Hamas following its gun rampage three weeks ago that killed over 1,400 people.

In the fifth day of major ground operations inside northern Gaza, the army said it had engaged in 'fierce battles' with Hamas terrorists, with footage showing columns of tanks and soldiers advancing further into the besieged enclave.

The IDF said its forces 'struck a Hamas terrorist outpost' in the northern Gaza Strip in the last few hours where they killed 'dozens' of gunmen and destroyed anti-tank missile launch and observation posts. 

Video released by the IDF shows Israeli troops walking through the bombed out streets of northern Gaza while raising their guns at the destroyed buildings - ready to pounce at any movement of Hamas terrorists potentially hiding within. 

The army said it had hit around 300 targets and confiscated 'numerous weapons' such as guns and bombs as well as 'military compounds inside underground tunnels' belonging to Hamas terrorists. 

The tunnels under the cramped enclave are a prime objective for Israel. Some of the 240 hostages that Israel says were seized by Hamas that day are believed to be held in the tunnel complex, adding a further complication for the Israelis on top of the difficulties of fighting in an urban setting. 

 

Israeli soldiers are seen marching through Gaza after Israel said its forces battled Hamas gunmen inside the terrorists' vast tunnel network beneath Gaza

Israeli soldiers are seen marching through Gaza after Israel said its forces battled Hamas gunmen inside the terrorists' vast tunnel network beneath Gaza

Israeli soldiers gather near the border with Gaza before entering the Palestinian enclave on Tuesday amid ongoing battles

Israeli soldiers gather near the border with Gaza before entering the Palestinian enclave on Tuesday amid ongoing battles 

Israeli troops are seen 'deep' within the territory of the Gaza Strip

Israeli troops are seen 'deep' within the territory of the Gaza Strip 

 
 
Israeli soldiers raise their guns and fire at targets in Gaza

Israeli soldiers raise their guns and fire at targets in Gaza 

Israeli forces entered Gaza on tanks in the fourth night of major ground operations inside northern Gaza overnight

Israeli forces entered Gaza on tanks in the fourth night of major ground operations inside northern Gaza overnight

Israeli tanks are seen moving towards Gaza as part of their major ground operations

Israeli tanks are seen moving towards Gaza as part of their major ground operations

Palestinian children mourn relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, in front of the morgue in Deir al Balah on Tuesday

Palestinian children mourn relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, in front of the morgue in Deir al Balah on Tuesday

A Palestinian man from al-Badrasawi family carries the body of his child who was killed in Israeli strikes, at Shuhada Al-Aqsa hospital in the central Gaza Strip on Tuesday

A Palestinian man from al-Badrasawi family carries the body of his child who was killed in Israeli strikes, at Shuhada Al-Aqsa hospital in the central Gaza Strip on Tuesday

 

In response, Hamas gunmen attacked Israeli forces with machine gun fire and anti-tank missiles. 'The soldiers killed terrorists and directed air forces to real-time strikes on targets and terror infrastructure,' the IDF said. 

And Hamas terrorists launched nine Grad rockets at the southern city of Ashdod today, leaving four people injured, one of whom is said to be 'very serious'. Video shows cars engulfed in flames, with black smoke filling the air. 

The fighting came after Netanyahu on Monday evening slapped aside a call from 120 countries for a sustained humanitarian truce, saying such a ceasefire would be 'surrendering' to Hamas. 

'This will not happen,' the premier said, vowing Israel would 'fight until this battle is won'. 'Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas,' he said.

Israel launched the war on October 7 in retribution for Hamas-led raids on Israeli homes, farms and villages that killed an estimated 1,400 people, according to Israeli officials.

More than three weeks of massive and sustained Israeli aerial bombardments have been followed by a large-scale ground offensive inside Gaza.

The al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, said militants also clashed early on Tuesday with Israeli forces invading Gaza's south, hitting four Israeli vehicles with missiles.

Militants also fired at two Israeli tanks as well as bulldozers in northwest Gaza, al-Qassam said. In Beit Hanoun, in the northeast, they 'liquidated' an Israeli unit which was ambushed as it entered a building. MailOnline is not able to verify these claims.

On Monday, witnesses said Israeli forces targeted Gaza's main north-south road on Monday and attacked Gaza City from two directions. They said they saw 'dozens' of Israeli tanks operating on the southern outskirts of Gaza City.

Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, said ground operations are focused on northern Gaza, including Gaza City, which he said was the 'centr of gravity of Hamas.'

'But we also continue to strike in other parts of Gaza. We are hunting their commanders, we are attacking their infrastructure, and whenever there is an important target that is related to Hamas, we strike it,' he said.

Israel's military also released images of mechanized units grinding through coastal sands in northern Gaza. Video also shows soldiers walking across an open area as heavy gunfire echoes in the background and setting up a position in the ruins of a heavily damaged building.

They claimed an early victory: the rescue of one missing woman soldier from Hamas captivity.

The release of Private Ori Megidish, 19, was 'secured during a ground operation' inside Gaza the army said, adding she was now in Israel, reunited with family and was 'doing well'.

'She has provided intelligence that we'll be able to use for future operations' said army spokesman Jonathan Conricus. 'We are committed and determined to get all of the 238 hostages that are still inside Gaza,' he added. The IDF has since increased the number of hostages to 240. 

But the toll of Israel's war in Gaza has sparked a global backlash.

Conricus said some 800,000 people have heeded the Israeli military's orders to flee from the northern part of the strip to the south. But tens of thousands of people remain in and around Gaza City, and casualties are expected to mount on both sides as the battle moves into dense, residential neighbourhoods. 

According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, Israel's relentless bombing campaign has killed 8,306 people, including 3,457 children, since October 7. 

 

..

Hamas terrorists launched nine Grad rockets at the southern city of Ashdod today, leaving four people injured, one of whom is said to be 'very serious'. Video shows cars engulfed in flames, with black smoke filling the air

Israeli troops are seen 'deep' within the territory of the Gaza Strip

Israeli troops are seen 'deep' within the territory of the Gaza Strip 

An Israeli battle tank moves near a position along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Tuesday

An Israeli battle tank moves near a position along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Tuesday 

Israeli soldiers gather near the border with Gaza before entering the Palestinian enclave on Tuesday

Israeli soldiers gather near the border with Gaza before entering the Palestinian enclave on Tuesday 

Israeli forces entered Gaza on tanks in the fourth night of major ground operations inside northern Gaza overnight

Israeli forces entered Gaza on tanks in the fourth night of major ground operations inside northern Gaza overnight

Israeli forces attacked Hamas targets inside Gaza on Monday, the IDF said

Israeli forces attacked Hamas targets inside Gaza on Monday, the IDF said 

IDF forces travel in a military vehicle during their ground assault in Gaza

IDF forces travel in a military vehicle during their ground assault in Gaza 

Pictured: Israeli soldiers amid their ground offensive in Gaza

Pictured: Israeli soldiers amid their ground offensive in Gaza 

An Israeli army soldier puts on his helmet as he mans a turret in an armoured tracked vehicle is deployed at a position along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Tuesday

An Israeli army soldier puts on his helmet as he mans a turret in an armoured tracked vehicle is deployed at a position along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Tuesday 

An Israeli army armoured tracked vehicle moves near a stationed artillery howitzer at a position along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Tuesday

An Israeli army armoured tracked vehicle moves near a stationed artillery howitzer at a position along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Tuesday

Injured relatives of the Palestinians, who lost their lives after Israeli attacks, mourn as the bodies are carried for burial from Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza on Tuesday

Injured relatives of the Palestinians, who lost their lives after Israeli attacks, mourn as the bodies are carried for burial from Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza on Tuesday 

People help burying the shrouded bodies during the funeral of the members of Al-Ahcazi family, who lost their lives after Israeli airstrikes on their building in Rafah, Gaza, on Tuesday

People help burying the shrouded bodies during the funeral of the members of Al-Ahcazi family, who lost their lives after Israeli airstrikes on their building in Rafah, Gaza, on Tuesday

Palestinians mourn relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, in front of the morgue in Deir al Balah, on Tuesday

Palestinians mourn relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, in front of the morgue in Deir al Balah, on Tuesday 

Palestinians search for casualties at the site of Israeli strikes on houses in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday

Palestinians search for casualties at the site of Israeli strikes on houses in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday 

An Israeli air force F-15 fighter tactical fighter aircraft flies along the border with the Gaza Strip near Sderot in southern Israel on October 27, 2023
An Israeli air force F-15 fighter jet is pictured flying over the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, on Tuesday

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, on Tuesday

Palestinians look for survivors after an Israeli strike in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday

Palestinians look for survivors after an Israeli strike in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday 

A Palestinian man wounded in Israeli strikes holds a body of a child killed in the strikes, at Shuhada Al-Aqsa hospital in the central Gaza Strip on Tuesday

A Palestinian man wounded in Israeli strikes holds a body of a child killed in the strikes, at Shuhada Al-Aqsa hospital in the central Gaza Strip on Tuesday 

People search through buildings that were destroyed during Israeli air raids in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday in Khan Yunis, Gaza

People search through buildings that were destroyed during Israeli air raids in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday in Khan Yunis, Gaza 

People search through buildings that were destroyed during Israeli air raids in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday in Khan Yunis, Gaza

People search through buildings that were destroyed during Israeli air raids in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday in Khan Yunis, Gaza

A youth walks on the rubble of a building following Israeli bombing in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday

A youth walks on the rubble of a building following Israeli bombing in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday 

A flare over the northern part of the Gaza Strip, as seen from Sderot, southern Israel, on Tuesday

A flare over the northern part of the Gaza Strip, as seen from Sderot, southern Israel, on Tuesday

 

The withering aerial bombardment has obliterated homes and entire neighbourhoods, leaving the territory's 2.4 million residents have little access to water, food, fuel and other essentials.

The mounting death toll has drawn calls from the U.S., Israel's top ally, 120 governments and the UN for a pause in fighting to allow more humanitarian aid to reach the enclave. 

'Nearly 70 percent of those reported killed are children and women,' said Philippe Lazzarini, who heads the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA. 'This cannot be 'collateral damage'.' 

On Monday, the UNRWA said the limited number of aid trucks entering Gaza was insufficient to meet the 'unprecedented humanitarian needs' and civil order has broken down with people storming UN warehouses in search of food.

That has put four U.N. aid distribution centres and a storage facility out of action, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Monday.

'It's a disaster on top of a disaster. Health needs are soaring and our ability to meet those needs is rapidly declining,' World Health Organization regional emergencies chief Rick Brennan said, reiterating international calls for a ceasefire to enable a larger humanitarian operation.

 

Hadas Kalderon, whose two children Erez and Saha and their father Ofir have been kidnapped, while Hadas' mother and niece were killed, cries in the burned-out remains of her mother's home, following a deadly attack by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip on Kibbutz Nir Oz on Monday

Hadas Kalderon, whose two children Erez and Saha and their father Ofir have been kidnapped, while Hadas' mother and niece were killed, cries in the burned-out remains of her mother's home, following a deadly attack by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip on Kibbutz Nir Oz on Monday 

Hadas Kalderon cries in the burned-out remains of her mother's home, following a deadly attack by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip on Kibbutz Nir Oz on Monday

Hadas Kalderon cries in the burned-out remains of her mother's home, following a deadly attack by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip on Kibbutz Nir Oz on Monday

Palestinians look for survivors in the rubble of a building following Israeli bombing in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday

Palestinians look for survivors in the rubble of a building following Israeli bombing in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday 

Israeli soldiers aboard armoured personnel carriers (APC) on patrol at a main road near the town of Kiryat Shmona, near the Israel-Lebanon border in Israel on Tuesday

Israeli soldiers aboard armoured personnel carriers (APC) on patrol at a main road near the town of Kiryat Shmona, near the Israel-Lebanon border in Israel on Tuesday 

Israeli soldiers aboard armoured personnel carriers (APC) on patrol at a main road near the town of Kiryat Shmona, near the Israel-Lebanon border in Israel on Tuesday

Israeli soldiers aboard armoured personnel carriers (APC) on patrol at a main road near the town of Kiryat Shmona, near the Israel-Lebanon border in Israel on Tuesday


Aid trucks have been trickling into Gaza from Egypt over the past week via Rafah, the main crossing that does not border Israel. It has become the main point of aid delivery since Israel imposed a 'total siege' of Gaza after October 7.

Rizk Abu Rok, a 24-year-old paramedic with the Palestinian Red Crescent, told AFP that transporting those killed and wounded had become a daily routine.

But a recent strike on the Rio Cafe in Khan Yunis added his father and several other relatives to the growing toll.

'I found them all, one after the other,' he said.

Israel has accused Hamas of using hospitals as military headquarters and civilians as 'human shields', charges dismissed by the militants as 'baseless' propaganda.

Even Israel's staunchest allies have voiced concern about the dire humanitarian situation inside the territory.

In Washington, the White House rejected a permanent ceasefire - warning it would only give Hamas time to restock and regroup.

But National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said 'pauses' to allow aid into Gaza should be considered.

The United States has called for much more aid to enter Gaza from Egypt.

 

A woman cries near the bodies of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes during their funeral, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday

A woman cries near the bodies of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes during their funeral, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday 

People mourn as they collect the bodies of Palestinians killed in Israeli air raids on Tuesday in Khan Yunis

People mourn as they collect the bodies of Palestinians killed in Israeli air raids on Tuesday in Khan Yunis 

Palestinians look for survivors after an Israeli strike in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday

Palestinians look for survivors after an Israeli strike in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday 

Palestinians walk by the destruction after an Israeli strike in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday

Palestinians walk by the destruction after an Israeli strike in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday 

 

Israel said it is inspecting cargo to make sure weapons are not being smuggled in, and is monitoring to guarantee supplies are not seized by Hamas.

It comes as Hamas on Monday released a video it said showed three female hostages who were abducted by the terrorists and taken into Gaza during the October 7 attacks.

Sitting on plastic chairs against a white tile wall, one of the women shouted as she criticised Israel's response to the hostage crisis and for not 'guarding them' from the terrorists. 

The woman urged Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree a prisoner exchange for the release of all captives in her brief statement, which was likely made under duress. 

Speaking in Hebrew, she becomes very agitated and starts shouting, almost screaming by the end, as the other two sitting either side of her remain silent.

In response, Netanyahu condemned the video as 'cruel psychological propaganda' and told the female hostages 'our heart is with you'.

The Israeli Prime Minister named the three female hostages as Yelena Trupanob, Daniel Aloni and Rimon Kirsht, and vowed 'to bring all the abducted and missing people home'.

The Israeli military confirmed on Sunday that 239 hostages - aged between a few months and 80 years old - are thought to have been taken during the attack on southern Israel on October 7.

Israel has since launched an intense bombardment of Gaza, prompting fears for the safety of the hostages, many of whom are thought to be being held in Hamas' tunnel network.

Relatives concerned about Israel's escalating attacks in Gaza demanded to know the government's plans for the rescue of their loved ones in a tense meeting with Netanyahu on Sunday. 

And facing growing domestic pressure over the detainees, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday accused the terrorists of playing 'psychological games' over the hostages' fate.