The war between Israel and Hamas on Day 65 was marked by intense clashes. The IDF conducted a massive assault, targeting over 250 Hamas locations, including a raid on the group’s military headquarters in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighbourhood.
Despite eliminating half of Hamas’ battalion commanders, the militant group’s junior ranks are stepping up, as per reports citing sources. Hamas, through its al-Qassam Brigades spokesperson, asserted that recovering hostages in Gaza could only occur through a negotiated exchange.
This comes as Qatar’s Prime Minister, Mohammed Al Thani, pledged to continue pressuring both Israel and Hamas for a truce and the release of hostages, emphasising the risk of “radicalisation” of an entire generation.
Regional powers, including Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, urged the US to push for a ceasefire before Ramadan in March. However, the UN Security Council’s failure to agree on a humanitarian ceasefire has already raised concerns.
The toll on Gaza’s civilian population is devastating, with the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry reporting 18,000 Palestinians killed and 49,500 wounded. The World Health Organization described the impact on Gaza’s healthcare sector as “catastrophic,” expressing concern about the potential for the spread of deadly diseases amid ongoing violence.
In Israel, 1,593 soldiers have been wounded since the conflict began. Security agencies in Cyprus, aided by the Mossad, thwarted an Iranian terrorist plot against Israeli and Jewish targets.
Netanyahu-Putin talks
Prime Minister Netanyahu in his conversation with Russia’s President Putin rebuked Russia’s relationship with Iran and Moscow’s “anti-Israel” positions at the UN. Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for infiltrating Israeli airspace and launching rockets, leading to IDF airstrikes on their targets.
As the conflict raged on, diplomatic efforts continued, but the situation remained precarious, with no clear end in sight to the Israel-Hamas war.
(With inputs from agencies)
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.
