On Monday, Israel pounded Gaza with “significant” strikes, ignoring ceasefire calls by UN aid agencies who condemned surging civilian deaths in the month-long conflict.
Israeli troops and Hamas fighters reportedly engaged in house-to-house combat in densely populated Gaza, where the war has sent 1.5 million people fleeing to other parts of the territory in a desperate search for cover.
“This strike is like an earthquake,” Gaza City resident Alaa Abu Hasera said, in a devastated area where entire blocks were reduced to rubble.
Israel launched a massive bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip – home to 2.3 million people, most of whom are children – since Hamas’ deadly October 7 attack.
Israeli air strikes on the impoverished territory have killed more than 9,770, mostly children. Israel has also imposed a complete siege on Gaza, preventing much-needed humanitarian aid from entering the enclave and cutting all water, food, and fuel supplies.
Israeli army spokesman Jonathan Conricus told CNN, “We are striking Hamas, and we are going stronghold after stronghold, according to our plan, in a systematic effort to dismantle Hamas from its military capabilities.”
“We have troops on the ground; infantry, armor, combat engineers. They are striking and they are also directing fire from the air,” he said, adding efforts were focused on the “underground infrastructure” network of Hamas tunnels.
In their October 7 attack, Israeli officials said Hamas gunmen killed more than 1,400 people and took more than 240 others hostage.
The health ministry said on Sunday that 45 people were killed in Israeli strikes on a refugee camp in central Gaza, leaving survivors desperately searching through the rubble.
