The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have effectively divided the Gaza Strip into two parts, isolating the northern section of the besieged area from the southern portion. This separation occurred as part of their extensive ground invasion within the territory, with the objective of potentially capturing Gaza City by Monday or Tuesday. Meanwhile, the overall death toll in the conflict with Hamas has reached 10,000.
On Sunday, the Israeli military announced that they had encircled Gaza City, effectively creating a division between the northern and southern parts of the enclave. They also carried out a significant offensive against Hamas targets across the region. This development marks a crucial milestone in the ongoing conflict against Hamas, which was triggered by the militant group's attack on Israeli border communities on October 7.
Reports from Israeli media indicate that Israeli troops are expected to enter Gaza City either on Monday or Tuesday. The IDF has repeatedly urged residents of the northern part of Gaza, where Hamas infrastructure and weaponry are suspected to be located, to seek refuge in the south. However, it's important to note that the south has not been entirely safe, as Israeli forces have continued their airstrikes in the southern half of Gaza. On Monday, the IDF reopened a one-way corridor for civilians to escape to the south.
On Sunday, large explosions in two central Gaza refugee camps resulted in the deaths of numerous Palestinians. The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza reported that at least 40 people were killed, with dozens wounded in an Israeli airstrike on the Al Maghazi camp. Three miles to the north, at least 13 people were killed when Israeli jets targeted a house near a school in the Bureij camp.
IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari stated in a late-night briefing on Sunday that Israeli military forces were conducting a significant attack on terrorist infrastructure, both above and below ground. Over the last 24 hours, Israeli fighter jets targeted more than 450 Hamas sites, including tunnels, terrorists, military compounds, observation posts, and anti-tank missile launch sites. The airstrikes also led to the death of a high-ranking member of Hamas responsible for the group's special security operations.
Meanwhile, Israeli ground forces have taken control of a Hamas military compound. As the IDF approaches the capture of Gaza City, it's expected that the death toll on both sides will rise as the military intensifies its ground invasion in the strip.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 10,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, including 4,100 children and 2,640 women. Additionally, more than 1,400 Israelis have died, with most being civilians killed during Hamas' incursion into Israel on October 7. An estimated 2,260 people, including 1,270 children, are reported missing in Gaza, with many presumed to be trapped under the rubble.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported more than 100 attacks on healthcare facilities as of November 4, resulting in over 1,000 casualties.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has stated that the Palestinian Authority will only assume control of Gaza as part of a comprehensive political solution that establishes an independent state securing the West Bank and East Jerusalem—territories seized by Israel in the 1967 war. Abbas currently lacks authority in Gaza, as Hamas has controlled the region since 2007.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his third Middle East tour since October 7, making stops in Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan to facilitate a temporary truce for the safe passage of entrapped individuals.
The Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza is set to reopen for Egyptians and foreigners already on pre-approved lists. It had been closed for a brief period following an Israeli airstrike on an ambulance near a hospital. The Hamas-run government has informed negotiators that they won't allow foreign nationals to leave Gaza until safe passage is secured for wounded Palestinians headed to the Rafah border.
Humanitarian UN agencies have called for an immediate ceasefire, with 18 principle members of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, a top-level coordination platform of the UN system, stating, "Enough is enough." They are demanding the release of civilian hostages, increased aid flow into Gaza, the protection of refugee camps and hospitals, and a commitment from all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.
(With Agency Inputs)
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