The Israeli army is about to advance on Gaza City, the headquarters of the Palestinian armed group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It is expected to arrive as early as the 2nd. They also accelerated the destruction of tunnels in the Gaza Strip, suggesting that high-intensity street fighting was imminent.
As casualties increased and criticism from the international community grew after the Israeli military struck Jabalia Camp, the largest refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, for two consecutive days, U.S. President Joe Biden announced the need for a temporary cessation of fighting.
![On the 1st (local time), Israeli tanks and armored vehicles are moving toward the Gaza Strip. Israeli ground forces have been carrying out intensive operations in the Gaza Strip in recent days, including striking about 300 Hamas facilities. 2023.11.02.[가자지구=AP/뉴시스]](https://dimg.donga.com/wps/NEWS/IMAGE/2023/11/02/121994618.1.jpg)
View largerOn the 1st (local time), Israeli tanks and armored vehicles are moving toward the Gaza Strip. Israeli ground forces have been carrying out intensive operations in the Gaza Strip in recent days, including striking about 300 Hamas facilities. 2023.11.02.[가자지구=AP/뉴시스]Brigadier General Itchik Cohen, commander of the Israeli military’s operations in the Gaza Strip, said at a press conference on the 1st, “Israeli troops are deep in the Gaza Strip, at the entrance to Gaza City.” Military spokesman Daniel Hagari also said, “We broke the Hamas defense line through a joint ground and air force operation.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited troops stationed outside the Gaza Strip separation barrier on this day and said, “We are attacking Hamas tunnels and driving terrorists out of the tunnels.” He added, “Since the 7th of last month when Hamas was surprise attacked, artillery shells, missiles, etc. have been fired into the Gaza Strip. More than 10,000 rounds were dropped. “Hamas must die or surrender unconditionally,” he said.
Since the start of limited ground warfare on the 27th of last month, the speed of advance toward Gaza City, the largest city in the Gaza Strip, is assessed to be faster than expected. The Israeli daily Haaretz analyzed, “This is because Hamas resistance was blocked by the air force’s preliminary bombing.” However, 16 Israeli soldiers were killed as of this day. “A heavy and painful price is inevitable,” said Military Chief of Staff General Herzy Halevi. “We will fight until the end, and (attacks) will be strengthened according to our goals,” he emphasized.
Despite the international community’s criticism of the excessive killing of civilians, the Israeli military continued airstrikes, including the Jabalia refugee camp area, for the second day in a row. According to Reuters, the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip’s health ministry claimed at least 195 civilians were killed in Jabalia. It was also announced that as of today, the number of deaths in Gaza was 8,796, of which 3,648 were children.
The French government said on this day that it was “seriously concerned about the attacks on refugee camps” and called for an end to the attacks, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “appalled” by the bombings of refugee camps for the second day in a row.
The U.S. government, which announced the day before that it was not a ceasefire but a temporary suspension of fighting to provide humanitarian aid, went one step further. President Biden, who visited the U.S. state of Minnesota on this day, responded to a Jewish citizen shouting, “As a rabbi, please call for a ceasefire immediately,” and said, “A pause in fighting is necessary,” adding, “(This) will not allow for the release of the detained hostages.” “It means giving time to do it,” he said. When this citizen shouted, ‘Treasury now,’ as he was dragged away by security, President Biden said, “It is very complicated for both Israelis and Muslims. “I support the ‘two states’ policy,” he said.
It appears that it will take a considerable amount of time to achieve Israel’s second phase goal of ‘annihilating Hamas’, but it is known that the US and Israeli authorities are planning a ‘post-Hamas’. The third phase of the war mentioned by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refers to the establishment of a new governance and security system in the Gaza Strip.
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Richard Blumansol, who recently visited Israel, told Politico, a U.S. political media outlet, that initial talks are underway about stationing an international peacekeeping force led by Saudi Arabian forces in the Gaza Strip. The peacekeeping force will support the Palestinian Authority (PA), which was driven out after losing the civil war with Hamas after losing the 2006 Gaza general election, until it regains control of the Gaza Strip. However, it has been reported that the peacekeeping force does not include U.S. troops and that Israel’s direct control of the Gaza Strip is also excluded.
U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken plans to visit Israel, Jordan, and Turkiye on the 3rd to discuss ways to minimize civilian casualties and a two-state solution that would establish an independent Palestinian state.
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.