After a ceasefire that lasted for seven days but was broken by the terrorist attack in Jerusalem, hostilities between Israel and Hamas resumed with intensity on December 1. Heavy fighting has taken place in Gaza City and across the northern portion of the Gaza Strip as a result of the Iron Sword operation, which is being carried out by the Israeli army to expel Hamas from the Gaza Strip. Thirteen Palestinians have been reported deceased as a result of the raids, six of whom were killed in the bombings of Rafah and Khan Yunis, and seven others were killed in the Maghazi district. Additionally, a journalist from Al-Aqsa TV was identified as one of the victims. In the refugee camps of Nuseirat and Bureij, there have also been reports of raids.
Hamas and Israel have traded accusations regarding the breach of the truce.
As reported by Israeli media, Hamas “violated the framework” for the cessation of hostilities, failed to honour its pledge to release all women held captive, and fired rockets at Israel, according to a release from the Office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The resumption of hostilities serves to emphasise the Israeli government’s steadfast dedication to accomplishing the war’s goals, which include liberating its captives, eradicating Hamas, and guaranteeing that Gaza will never again pose a threat to the Israeli population.
Hamas contends that Israel breached the ceasefire by impeding gasoline shipments to the northern region of the Gaza Strip. Another source of animosity between the two factions was Hamas’ insistence on releasing the male detainees under identical conditions as the female and juvenile hostages.
Despite the United States maintaining that Hamas is accountable for the truce’s collapse, it continues to collaborate with Israel, Egypt, and Qatar to restore the agreement. The list of detainees that Hamas has yet to release would have permitted an extension of the ceasefire, according to a National Security Council spokesperson cited by CNN. He added that President Joe Biden of the United States and his national security team will maintain a vigorous effort to liberate the remaining hostages while also providing assistance and expanding the global humanitarian effort.
On five fronts, a battle is being fought from Tel Aviv in northern Israel against Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria to the Houthi rebels supported by Iran in Yemen, against groups related to Damascus and Islamic Jihad in the CIS Jordan, and clearly in the Gaza Strip. The war is also being conducted on Yemeni territories. One of the events that occurred on November 30 was the Israeli bombing of drones and precision missile stockpiles in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen.
Joa Gallant, the Minister of Defence, is clear about his intentions with Hamas. The first thing that Hamas will do is deal with Israeli aviation bombs. They will deal with tank projectiles, artillery, and the activity of Israeli armoured bulldozers, and ultimately, they will settle for infantry bullets. Throughout the Gaza Strip, Israel will engage in combat.
As of now (On December 1), there are no “official negotiations” underway in Gaza regarding the release of the hostages or a new humanitarian ceasefire, according to John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House. He emphasised that the United States is eager for these discussions to commence soon.
Following the completion of ground operations in Gaza City, the Israeli military is now directing its forces southward towards the border with Egypt. It is estimated that at least 1.8 million people from Gaza’s total population of 2.3 million have been relocated south to avoid the bombs. This has resulted in a deadly overcrowding situation in anticipation of Israeli military operations.
Hundreds of micro-areas are delineated on a map of the Gaza Strip that the Israeli Defence Forces published. As opposed to urging mass evacuations as occurred in the southern portion of the Strip, the military could rather request the evacuation of Palestinians in a specific area by using the map if the ground offensive extends towards that region. In a message to the inhabitants of Gaza, Israel said the IDF is conducting vigorous operations against terrorist organisations while exerting great effort to differentiate between terrorists and civilians. Israel said they do not consider the inhabitants of Gaza to be its enemies. For this reason, they have begun conducting controlled and targeted evacuations of residents from combat zones as of this morning to keep them as far away as feasible.
Since the commencement of the military ground operation in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israeli defence apparatus has documented the identification of a minimum of 800 Hamas tunnels, of which approximately 500 have been obliterated. The statement stated that tunnels were occasionally discovered adjacent to or within mosques, schools, kindergartens, playgrounds, etc. IDF contends these discoveries provide additional proof of Hamas’ cynical use of civilians as human shields and covers for its terrorist activities.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Pope have expressed deep regret for the end of the ceasefire and the resumption of military operations.
