Israeli army reports encirclement of Chan Junis

War in the Middle East - Israeli army reports encirclement of Chan Junis

Israel's army says it has now encircled the largest city in the south of the Gaza Strip and surrounded the house of the Gaza head of the Islamist Hamas. Jihia al-Sinwar could flee, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, "but it is only a matter of time before we find him".

While the fierce urban fighting continues in Chan Junis, which is considered a Hamas stronghold, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on the UN Security Council in a rare step to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in the coastal area.

Guterres once again calls for a ceasefire

"I reiterate my call for a humanitarian ceasefire to be declared. This is urgent. The civilian population must be spared greater suffering," he wrote to the Security Council, invoking Article 99 of the UN Charter. This allows the Secretary-General to bring to the attention of the Security Council "any matter which, in his opinion, may endanger the maintenance of international peace and security" and, according to the UN, has not been used for decades.

Israel allows more fuel for Gaza

In view of the suffering of the civilian population, international criticism of the Israeli army's actions is growing. Israel is now allowing more fuel to be imported into the south of the Gaza Strip. The Security Cabinet has approved a recommendation by the War Cabinet, Netanyahu's office announced. An increase in the minimum quantity permitted was necessary "to prevent a humanitarian collapse and the outbreak of epidemics", it said. It was initially unclear by how much the amount of fuel that can be brought into the Gaza Strip each day should actually be increased.

Israel: defenses around Chan Junis breached

Meanwhile, the Israeli army reported a breakthrough through Hamas' defenses in the city of Khan Yunis in the evening. The soldiers had now launched attacks against the terrorists' central positions and were advancing deeper into the city, where Sinwar's house is located. Sinwar is not above ground, but underground, said Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari. From Israel's point of view, however, the relocation of his house shows that the army can reach any place in Gaza.

Experts suspect that the Hamas leadership and thousands of its members may be holed up in an extensive network of tunnels. Many of the hostages still being held are also believed to be there. Since the terrorist attack by Hamas and other groups on Israeli territory on October 7, in which around 1,200 people were killed, Sinwar has been at the top of Israel's hit list.

Should the Israeli government be able to announce the death of Sinwar and other Hamas leaders, "it would be able to capitalize on it and claim that its military objectives have been achieved," said Hugh Lovatt of the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank in the Wall Street Journal. This could help "create the conditions for an end to the war".

Israel again sharply criticizes Guterres

Meanwhile, Israel's foreign minister once again sharply criticized UN Secretary-General Guterres. "His request to activate Article 99 and the call for a ceasefire in Gaza constitute support for the terrorist organization Hamas," said Eli Cohen on X. "Anyone who supports world peace must support the liberation of Gaza from Hamas." Guterre's term of office jeopardizes world peace.

There are no direct consequences of invoking the article. However, it is to be expected that the Security Council will meet this week, according to a spokesperson. Guterres had repeatedly drawn attention to the precarious situation of the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip. According to reports from eyewitnesses, thousands of families have fled from Chan Junis to Al-Mawasi. Food, water and shelter were also lacking there. "There is no 'safe' zone. The whole Gaza Strip has become one of the most dangerous places in the world," said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) on X.

The next phase of fighting in the Gaza Strip threatens to drive tens of thousands of civilians to Rafah near the Egyptian border, Wall Street reported on Wednesday evening (local time). Egypt had reinforced the security barriers on the border with the Gaza Strip. The port city of Al Arish, about an hour's drive west of Rafah, had also been sealed off. This has become a collection point for humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip.

Houthi rebels also attack Israel directly

Meanwhile, the Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen have also reportedly attacked areas in Israel. "A batch of ballistic missiles" was fired at various military targets in southern Israel, the Iran-backed rebels said on Wednesday evening. The attacks "against the Israeli enemy" would continue "until the aggression against our brothers in Gaza ends", they said. Israeli ships would also be prevented from sailing in the Red Sea until then.

What will be important on Thursday

The house-to-house fighting continues in Chan Junis. The humanitarian situation of the hundreds of thousands of civilians is becoming increasingly precarious. Meanwhile, representatives from Brussels and Beijing are meeting for the EU-China summit in the Chinese capital. The Gaza war will also be on the agenda.