While Israeli forces continue their land occupation in the Gaza Strip, violent clashes are taking place in the northern part of the Palestinian region. Here, the Islamist Hamas militia will offer strong resistance to the pincer movement of Tel Aviv’s ground troops, who are advancing from the north and center of the Strip and slowly beginning to encircle Gaza City. Today, October 31, a new bombing with high explosives in the north of the city could have destroyed some of the buildings housing the refugee camp in Jabalia.
More than 50 Palestinians were killed, according to the director of the Indonesian hospital closest to the affected neighborhood. The total number of victims, including dead and injured, is expected to reach hundreds, pan-Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera reported. It was reported that 15 to 30 buildings were destroyed and more than 400 people were killed and injured.
Eyewitness accounts from Palestinian activists indicate that the densely populated area of the Jabalia refugee camp was destroyed.
My cousin Mahmud is alive and reporting from there. To the massacres. Hundreds were killed. You don’t need to understand Arabic commentary to understand the horrific extent of killing and destruction. This mass murder and destruction must stop. ENOUGH, we are bleeding! #Gaza pic.twitter.com/SPrneYw4BS
—Dr. Abusalama (@ShahdAbusalama) October 31, 2023
As the war in the small Palestinian territory ruled by Hamas intensifies, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected international calls to stop the war. But the United Nations and other humanitarian officials have warned that a public health disaster is gripping civilians in Gaza, with hospitals struggling to cope with mounting losses as food, medicine, drinking water and fuel run out.
The tunnels under the congested area are becoming the primary target of Israel, which has expanded its ground attack, which has reached its fourth day after three weeks of aerial bombardment. Israel is racing against time to release 240 hostages it claims were captured by Hamas on October 7, the day of an attack on Israeli colonies near the Strip that left more than 1,400 dead.
The hostages will be held in the tunnel complex that runs under Gaza, further complicating the situation for the Israelis alongside the difficulties of fighting in an urban context.
Hamas said in a statement that its fighters engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli ground forces, which suffered casualties.
Gaza health officials announced that 8,525 people, including 3,542 children, have died in Israel’s attacks since October 7. United Nations officials say more than 1.4 million of Gaza’s estimated 2.3 million civilians are homeless. The rising death toll in Gaza has led to calls from Israel’s main ally, the United States, other countries and the United Nations to pause the fighting to allow more humanitarian aid to arrive. Speaking in Washington, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the importance of both security assistance to Israel and humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
In the background are fears that the conflict could spread to other countries: On Tuesday, air raid sirens sounded in Israel’s far south, in the Red Sea tourist resort of Eilat, and the Israeli military said it had shot down a ballistic missile from Yemen. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels said they had launched “large numbers” of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel here.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
