Street clashes and Israel advances on two axes that lead to Al-Shifa hospital
Israeli forces advanced on two major axes towards Gaza City: north of the Beach Camp and south of the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, despite fierce clashes that do not stop there, amid reports that the Israeli army has suffered losses in direct clashes with Hamas fighters.
Sources from the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip told Asharq Al-Awsat that fierce clashes are taking place in every place where the Israeli army has entered, but the fiercest are occurring north of the Beach Camp and south of Tal. Al-Hawa after Israeli forces advanced there.
Israel is trying to reach the heart of Gaza City after surrounding the city and taking control of Salah al-Din and Al-Rashid streets, thus cutting all communications between the north and south of the Strip.
The sources say the Israeli advance and focus on Al-Shati and Tal Al-Hawa camp indicate a desperate Israeli attempt to reach Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza.
Israel targets this hospital. Because, according to his statements, it includes the leading center of Hamas and the Al-Qassam Brigades.
According to sources, to reach Al-Shifa, if this happens, it will be through the Al-Shati camp, and the noose tightened on it from the southern side through Tal Al-Hawa, which, if bypassed, means that the attacking forces they will also reach Al. -Quds Hospital and Ansar Government Complex, which includes offices for the security headquarters.
The Israeli army confirmed on Tuesday that it was “intensifying pressure on Gaza City”, killing Hamas field commanders, taking control of the movement’s stronghold in the northern Gaza Strip and discovering and destroying more tunnels.
Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said ground forces were able to check the site in the northern areas of the Gaza Strip and found anti-tank missile launchers, rockets, various weapons and intelligence material.
The army also announced that it had attacked targets using the Navy, which included sites for technological means, and that it had targeted several militants barricaded in a building near Al-Quds hospital, from which they intended to launch an attack against the forces Israeli forces, and destroyed dozens of mortar launch pads.
The Israeli advance into Gaza came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his forces would take responsibility for security after the war in the Strip, without explaining what that meant. This evening he said that the city of Gaza is under siege and that “we are carrying out operations inside it”, underlining that “there is no ceasefire and no fuel is allowed to enter Gaza without the release of the hostages ”. He added that Lebanese Hezbollah “will make the biggest mistake” if it joins the war.
But Defense Minister Yoav Galant said Israel will face many days of fighting, at the end of which three objectives will be achieved: “Hamas will not be a military and authoritarian structure in the Gaza Strip, and no threat will come to Israel.” , and the army will enjoy complete freedom of activity without restrictions on the activation… of power.”
Gallant’s words indicate an open war against Hamas at all times.
Gallant presented a review of the advancement of forces within the Strip and Gaza City to members of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Security Committee on Tuesday at a session held at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv. He stressed that all security services are focused on two things: winning the war and returning all the abducted people. He explained that Israel will hold responsible all those involved in the October 7 attack, primarily Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Then Gallant confirmed in a press conference that they would continue until victory over Hamas, that they would not back down, and that Hamas would not rule Gaza after the war.
Israel also confirmed that it will not accept a ceasefire without the release of all abducted people.
Hamas did not immediately respond to Netanyahu and Gallant’s statements, but announced that it would continue to confront Israeli forces, inflicting heavy casualties on its ranks.
The Hamas-affiliated Al-Qassam Brigades announced the destruction of 5 Israeli tanks, a troop transport and an Israeli bulldozer on the outskirts of Al-Shati camp with “Al-Yassin 105” shells. It also claimed to have destroyed tanks and vehicles in other areas. He also announced that he had bombed Beersheba, Tel Aviv and concentrations of Israeli soldiers with rocket attacks.
The Al-Qassam Brigades broadcast scenes showing their forces’ clash with Israeli forces that have penetrated northwest of Beit Lahia over the past two days, and the resistance fighters’ success in destroying a number of occupation vehicles . The scenes showed Al-Qassam fighters clashing closely with Israeli soldiers, using automatic rifles and missiles.
Regarding the hostage issue, Al-Qassam spokesman Abu Ubaida said that a few days ago they were about to release 12 foreign national detainees in Gaza, but Israel prevented it. Abu Ubaida confirmed that Al-Qassam is still ready to release these detainees, but the situation on the ground and the Israeli attack prevent this.
As the fighting intensified, Israeli planes continued to bomb large areas of the Gaza Strip, and the army opened a corridor for Gazans to cross from north to south, but it was a corridor that the authorities of Hamas described it as a corridor of death, despite Israel having published video clips showing a notable movement of residents from the north of the Gaza Strip towards its south.
The Israeli army announced again on Tuesday that it had opened Salah al-Din Street at specific times for Gazans to cross, but Gaza authorities said the army was killing them there.
Israeli planes bombed various areas of the Gaza Strip, killing dozens of people after wiping out an entire neighborhood in Deir al-Balah.
The Gaza Strip’s Ministry of Health said on Tuesday that at least 10,328 Palestinians, including 4,237 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks on the Strip since October 7.
Ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra told a news conference that the number of injured in Gaza has reached 25,956 since the clashes between Israel and Palestinian factions began.