Palestinians in parts of southern Gaza said they received evacuation notices, a signal that Israel’s ground invasion is about to expand in the south on Thursday.
That comes a day after Israeli forces began searching a north Gaza hospital where they claimed Hamas fighters operated. Hamas and hospital staff have denied the claim.
The Israeli military has yet to show any evidence of an alleged Hamas command centre underneath or in the hospital.
Associated Press could not independently verify Israeli claims that it found weapons inside the hospital.
With most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people crowded into the territory’s south, residents say bread is scarce and supermarket shelves are bare.
Families cook on wood fires for lack of fuel. Central electricity and running water have been out for weeks.
The fuel shortage caused landline connections, the mobile network and internet connections to shut down, telecoms provider, Paltel said.
More than 11,200 Palestinians have died since the war began, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.
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Two-thirds of the dead are women and minors. About 2,700 people are reportedly missing.
Israel vowed to wipe out Hamas after the militant group launched its Oct. 7 incursion.
Some 1,200 people have died in Israel, mostly during the initial attack Hamas took 240 captive, Israeli Military claimed.
Israel unlikely to totally eliminate Hamas – U.S.
Meanwhile, the White House said it believes “eliminating the Hamas group and its ideology is likely impossible”.
It said Israel could only dramatically reduce the threat from Hamas.
National Security Council spokesman, John Kirby pointed to the U.S. efforts to disrupt al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, a day after Biden said Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza would only end once the group was no longer a threat.
“What we have learned through our own experiences, that military and other means you can absolutely have a significant impact on terrorist groups ability to resource itself, to train fighters, to recruit fighters, to plan to execute attacks,” Kirby told reporters.
“And look at the shadow of itself that ISIS is right now, look at the shadow of itself al-Qaida is right now.” (AP News)
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