The war between Israel and Hamas continues to rage on as Israel expanded its ground operations in Gaza and Hamas said they were engaged in “heavy fighting”. Worldwide, leaders underlined the need for increasing aid into Gaza amid weeks of bombardment after October 7 attacks by Hamas into Israel that left over 1,400 Israelis dead.
Men owing allegiance to Hamas infiltrated across the Gaza border on October 7 in the deadliest attack in Israel’s history, killing more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taking 226 people hostage.
Also watch | Israel-Hamas war: Netanyahu warns Palestinians to evacuate Northern Gaza strip
The Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza says the retaliatory Israeli bombardment has killed more than 8,000 people, mainly civilians and half of them children.
Over 1.2 million people displaced in Gaza: UN
The United Nations said that more than half of Gaza’s 2.4 million people are displaced amid ongoing war and thousands of buildings are destroyed.
Israel began its ground operations inside Gaza late Friday (Oct 27), which continued before being expanded over the weekend as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a new stage of war.
Joe Biden dials Netanyahu, Egypt’s president
On Sunday (Oct 29), US President Joe Biden dialed Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and, according to the White House, “underscored the need to immediately and significantly increase the flow of humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza”.
In a separate call with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt, which borders Gaza to the south, the two leaders “committed to the significant acceleration and increase of assistance”, the White House said.
UN chief Antonio Guterres said the situation was “growing more desperate by the hour” amid ongoing state of war.
Civil order is starting to break down: United Nations
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said “thousands of people” broke into several of its warehouses and distribution centres in Gaza, grabbing basic items like flour and hygiene supplies.
“This is a worrying sign that civil order is starting to break down,” it said.
‘All areas are dangerous’
On Sunday, Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly struck hundreds of Hamas targets and increased its ground forces in Gaza.
Communications were down in Gaza after Israel cut internet lines ahead of the intensification of its operations, although connectivity was gradually returning on Sunday.
The “burden” lies with Israel to distinguish between militants and innocent civilians in Gaza, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN television.
Hagari again urged Palestinian civilians to go south “to a safer area”, but residents remained wary as air strikes continue.
Ibrahim Shandoughli, a 53-year-old from Jabaliya in northern Gaza was cited as saying by news agency AFP he and his family went nowhere.
“Where do you want us to evacuate to? All the areas are dangerous.”
Fears of expansion of conflict into West Asia
The Israeli ground operations in Gaza have heightened fears of expansion of war into wider region with Iran’s friends in the region, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen, declining to steer clear off the conflict.
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi warned on X, that Israel’s “crimes have crossed the red lines, which may force everyone to take action”.
(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.
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