The Israeli ground offensive in the Gaza Strip has been underway since the end of October. And heavy fighting with Hamas is still being reported. Israel highlights progress, US intelligence agencies are said to be more pessimistic.
The Israeli army reports further military successes in its ground offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Many terrorists were killed and a large number of weapons were found. In the north of the coastal strip, the navy shelled a building from which armed Palestinians attacked Israeli soldiers. The armed forces statement said they had “removed the threat”. The information could not be independently verified.
There are also said to be fighting in the area around Jabaliya in the north. The terrorist organization Hamas announced that it would engage in heavy fighting with the Israeli army in the north of the Gaza Strip. The northern part of the Gaza Strip was the first target of the Israeli ground offensive, which has been underway since the end of October. In the meantime, the army had announced that the situation there was stabilizing.
Gray areas: Built-up areas in the Gaza Strip, hatching: Israeli army
Army discovers tunnel where hostages were hidden
An employee of the AFP news agency also reports shelling, air strikes and tank operations in Khan Yunis. The largest city in the south of the Gaza Strip has been one of the main fighting sites for weeks. Israel’s army also wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, about snipers and the air force killing several terrorists.
The Israeli army said it had discovered a tunnel with “evidence of the presence of hostages” in Khan Yunis. Accordingly, there were also drawings by a five-year-old prisoner. According to the military, “around 20 hostages” were locked inside at various times “without daylight” and with “little oxygen and appalling humidity.”
The Israeli army released this photo that purports to show a room in the tunnel network under Khan Yunis. Hostages are said to have been held in the tunnels.
Hamas speaks of more than 25,000 deaths
According to the health ministry of the militant Islamist Hamas, the number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip rose to more than 25,000. At least 178 bodies were taken to hospitals within 24 hours, said ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Kidra. In addition, there were almost 300 injuries. Hamas does not differentiate between civilians and Hamas terrorists when providing information.
Conflict parties as a source
In the current situation, information on the course of the war, shelling and casualties provided by the Palestinian and Israeli conflict parties cannot be directly verified by an independent body.
US intelligence agencies assess Hamas as ready to fight
Israel estimates that around 9,000 terrorists have been killed in the Gaza Strip so far. US intelligence agencies are reportedly assuming fewer deaths. According to the Wall Street Journal, US intelligence agencies suspect that Israel killed 20 to 30 percent of Hamas fighters. Before the war, Hamas had between 25,000 and 30,000 fighters – plus thousands of police officers.
This means that Israel is still a long way from its goal of destroying the Islamist organization, according to the US newspaper. The US assumed that Hamas had enough ammunition to continue attacking Israel and Israeli troops in Gaza for months. Hamas’ goal is simply to survive the war.
The war was triggered by Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th. Palestinian extremists killed around 1,200 people, most of them civilians. Around 250 people were taken hostage and deported to the Gaza Strip. Many women and children were later released, and Israel released prisoners in return. It is unclear how many of the Israeli hostages are still alive.
Turkish Foreign Minister met Haniya
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniya visited Turkey this weekend, where he appeared to discuss a ceasefire and a two-state solution “for lasting peace.” Other topics at the meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan included the release of the hostages and an increase in humanitarian aid, reports the dpa, citing diplomatic circles. Accordingly, the meeting between Fidan and Hanija, who lives in Qatar, took place on Saturday.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made several very critical comments about Israel since the beginning of the war. He described Hamas as a “liberation movement” while repeatedly calling Israel a “terrorist state.” Since the beginning of the conflict, Erdogan has offered to mediate between Hamas and Israel. So far, however, any mediation efforts have been made through Qatar and Egypt.
Jan-Christoph Kitzler, ARD Tel Aviv, tagesschau, January 21, 2024 12:50 p.m