Israel began the year with the withdrawal and reorganization of its troops from Gaza, warning that the war against Hamas in the Strip will continue “throughout” 2024, after a New Year marked by relentless attacks on besieged Palestinian territory and rocket fire . against Tel Aviv.
Almost three months after the start of the war, triggered following the attack launched on October 7 by the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas in Israel, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari announced to the troops on Sunday evening that some reservists they would stop to prepare for “prolonged combat”.
The Army “must plan ahead as we will be asked to perform additional tasks and fight throughout the year,” he said.
Israel has promised to destroy Hamas after the attack perpetrated on its territory from Gaza by commandos of this organization classified as “terrorist” by the United States, Israel and the European Union. This attack resulted in around 1,140 deaths, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on the latest official Israeli data.
The Islamist group also took around 250 hostagesmost of whom, according to Israel, remain prisoners in Gaza.
In response, the Jewish state launched a devastating offensive in Gaza, which has so far killed 21,978 people, mostly women, teenagers and children, according to figures from Hamas, which governs the Strip.
The war will continue for “many months”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned last week.
As Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israeli soil, Israeli troops are preparing for a full-scale war. Photo: APThey demand the expulsion of all Palestinians from the Strip
The Minister of Internal Security, the far-right Itamar Ben Gvir, called this Monday for the return of Israeli settlers to Gaza after the conflict and “invited” the Palestinian population to emigrate out of the Strip. Statements similar to those released on Sunday by another minister from the hard wing of the Executive.
An AFP correspondent reported artillery shelling and airstrikes on the southern Gaza towns of Rafah and Khan Younis on New Year’s Eve.
According to Hamas’ Ministry of Health, at least 24 people were killed in those attacks. According to the same source, 15 bodies of the same family were recovered on Monday under the rubble of a house bombed on Sunday night in Jabaliya, northern Gaza.
“Every day is like the last: bombings, death and massacres,” lamented Sami Hamouda, 64, who said it was his cousin’s house that was destroyed.
In several parts of Israel, warning sirens sounded as 2024 began. Witnesses in Tel Aviv witnessed defense systems intercept rockets in the sky, sending some revelers running for cover.
“I’m terrified, it’s the first time I’ve seen missiles,” Gabriel Zemelman, 26, said outside a Tel Aviv bar where he had gathered with his friends.
The Ezzedin al Qassam brigades, armed wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for the attack with M90 rockets carried out in “response to the massacre of civilians” perpetrated by Israel.
The Israeli military confirmed the attack without reporting casualties or damage.
This year, Israeli soldiers are preparing for a long war against Hamas. Photo: REUTERSNon-stop bombings
In the besieged Gaza Strip, where according to the UN 85% of the population is displaced and the humanitarian situation is critical, the bombings continue unabated.
“Living conditions in Gaza are desperate,” Mostafa Shennar, a 43-year-old coffee seller originally from Gaza City but is taking refuge in Rafah, in the south of the enclave, told AFPTV.
“The year 2023 was the worst of my life,” lamented Ahmed al Baz, 33, who had to leave his home in Gaza City and now lives in a makeshift camp in Rafah, in the south of the territory.
The Israeli-imposed siege has left Gazans with a shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel, relieved only by the aid trucks that arrive one by one. About 120 entered on Sunday.
Humanitarian crisis
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the “epic human suffering” faced by Palestinian civilians, while the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of the risk of infectious diseases.
Palestinians are relentlessly fleeing destruction, hunger and fear in the Gaza Strip. Photo: REUTERS In the other Palestinian enclave, in the occupied West Bank, violence has increased since October and, according to the Israeli NGO Yesh Din, attacks by Jewish settlers have reached record levels, with at least 10 deaths.
While, International mediators continue efforts to reach a new pause in the war.
A Hamas delegation traveled to Cairo on Friday to discuss an Egyptian truce plan, the gradual release of hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and an end to the war, sources close to the Palestinian extremist group said.
Even the conflict increased tensions in the Middle Eastboth on the border between Israel and Lebanon and in the Red Sea.
An Iranian ship entered this maritime area on Monday, where Yemen’s Houthi rebels, close to Iran, have multiplied their attacks on commercial ships linked to Israel.
The United States, along with other Western countries, patrols that area to protect commercial traffic and Israeli interests.
Source: AFP
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.