Situation at a glance - Heavy fighting again in northern Gaza
A renewed flare-up of fierce fighting between Israel's army and the islamist group Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip is casting a shadow over the revived negotiations about the release of hostages and a ceasefire. Once again, Israel is engaging in ground and air combat against Hamas fighters in the devastated city of Gaza. In recent weeks, Israeli forces have repeatedly returned to areas they had previously entered and withdrawn from.
This shows how the fight against Hamas could turn into a "protracted war of attrition," writes the "Wall Street Journal." Israel's renewed actions in Gaza could lead to the indirect negotiations in Cairo over a hostage deal collapsing, Hamas announced. Its foreign leader Ismail Haniya reportedly warned the Qatari and Egyptian mediators accordingly. The US, which is also acting as mediators in the conflict, still sees chances for an agreement.
John Kirby, Communications Director of the National Security Council at the White House, stated that there are still points of disagreement between Israel and Hamas. "But we wouldn't have sent a team there if we didn't believe we had a chance," he said, referring to the talks in Cairo. On Wednesday, CIA Director Bill Burns is scheduled to travel to Doha further to meet with his negotiation partners from Qatar, Egypt, and Israel, according to US news portal "Axios."
Hamas: Netanyahu obstructs negotiation process
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously demanded the right for Israel to continue fighting against Hamas as a non-negotiable condition for an agreement. "Every agreement will allow Israel to resume fighting until all military objectives are met," it says in a list of conditions published by the office of the Israeli Prime Minister. Netanyahu is "putting obstacles in the way of the negotiations," Hamas stated.
Both sides have made public statements that "do not necessarily reflect the talks we are having with them or their negotiation partners in private," Kirby said. A roadmap is on the table. The mediators are currently working on formulations to bridge the gaps in still contested issues. Netanyahu's list of conditions was criticized in mediation circles, according to media reports.
Air raids continue
Israel's air force reportedly targeted several terrorists hiding in a school building in the central Gaza Strip on Monday evening, according to Israeli military statements. The group, consisting of Hamas and Islamic Jihad (PIJ) fighters, was reportedly bombed with precision munitions to minimize civilian casualties. No further details were provided. The information could not be verified independently.
The Israeli army once again emphasized that the two terrorist organizations "systematically violate international law" by using civilian institutions and population as human shields for terrorist attacks against the State of Israel, it was stated. In Nuseirat, the army had recently identified Hamas fighters in the area of a former UN-Refugee Agency (UNRWA) school, and conducted airstrikes. According to Hamas, 16 people were killed.
This object served as a hideout and a base for attacks on Israeli military for the terrorists, the army explained. And even in the attack, steps were taken to minimize the risk for civilians beforehand. Neither of the statements - from the Israeli army nor Hamas - could be independently verified. The cause of the Gaza war was the massacre with over 1,200 fatalities, committed by terrorists of Hamas and other extremist groups in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army reached the UNRWA headquarters in the city of Gaza. The troops had initiated anti-terror operations in the area, which is not in operation due to the war. Civilians were previously ordered to leave the area. The army radio reported fighting with Hamas armed forces. According to Palestinian hospital reports, at least 15 people were killed. The number of casualties could still increase, as the rescue teams could not reach many residential areas due to the fighting. The statements could not be independently verified.
Heavy fighting in Gaza City
Israeli troops had already entered the Gaza Strip in the first month of the war. According to a recent analysis of satellite data conducted by experts from the City University of New York and Oregon State University, about 75 percent of the buildings in the area are damaged or destroyed, reported the "Wall Street Journal". The city is hit hardest by the massive devastation of the war. In the meantime, Hamas is trying to regroup there and elsewhere.
One must fight repeatedly at places where the army had previously taken control, lamented Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi weeks ago and warned of a "Sisyphean task". Critics accuse Netanyahu of allowing the sealed coastal region to sink into chaos due to a lack of a clear plan for stabilization and administration. Israel's troops risked being drawn into an endless guerrilla war by the Hamas.
Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu had recently hinted that the last major combat formations of Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip would soon be dismantled. With that, the large-scale ground offensive in the coastal strip could end. But that would not necessarily mean an end to the military operation. Netanyahu and high-ranking military officials had already announced several times that Israeli troops would remain in strategic locations in the Gaza Strip after the phase of intense fighting.
- John Kirby stated that there are still points of disagreement between Israel and Hamas in the ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
- Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of obstructing the negotiation process, claiming he puts obstacles in the way.
- The Wall Street Journal wrote about the potential for a "protracted war of attrition" in the fight against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
- Israeli forces engaged in ground and air combat against Hamas fighters in the northern Gaza Strip, causing devastation in the city.
- The US, along with Egypt and Qatar, is still pursuing an agreement to release hostages and reach a ceasefire in the Palestinian territories.
- CIA Director Bill Burns is scheduled to travel to Doha to meet with negotiation partners from Qatar, Egypt, and Israel.
- Harakat el-Mukawame el-Islamije, another Islamist group in the Gaza Strip, has also been involved in conflicts with the Israeli military.
- UNRWA was recently targeted in Nuseirat, with Hamas claiming 16 people were killed and Israel stating it was aiming to minimize civilian casualties.
- Benjamin Netanyahu's list of conditions for an agreement, which includes the right for Israel to continue fighting against Hamas, was criticized in mediation circles.
- Heavy fighting continues in Gaza City, with Israeli troops conducting anti-terror operations and Hamas trying to regroup.
- Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip have resulted in significant damage to buildings in the area, according to satellite data analysis.
