DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza — Dozens had been killed in Gaza on Sunday in one of many deadliest strikes of the warfare, whereas Israel’s leaders acknowledged the “very heavy price” after 15 troopers had been killed in fight over the weekend.
The strike hit the Maghazi refugee camp, east of Deir al-Balah. Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra mentioned at the very least 60 folks had been killed and the toll was more likely to rise. An AP reporter on the scene watched our bodies and wounded being carried in, together with kids.
As Christmas Eve fell, smoke rose over the besieged territory, whereas within the West Bank Bethlehem was hushed, its vacation celebrations known as off. In neighboring Egypt, tentative efforts continued on a deal for one more alternate of hostages for Palestinians held by Israel.
The mounting dying toll amongst Israeli troops – 154 for the reason that floor offensive started – may erode public help for the warfare, which was sparked when Hamas-led militants stormed communities in southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 and taking 240 hostage.
The warfare has devastated components of Gaza, killed roughly 20,400 Palestinians and displaced nearly all the territory’s 2.3 million folks. The Health Ministry in Gaza mentioned 166 folks had been killed within the coastal enclave over the previous day.
Israelis nonetheless largely stand behind the nation’s acknowledged targets of crushing Hamas’ governing and army capabilities and releasing the remaining 129 captives. That’s regardless of rising worldwide stress towards Israel’s offensive, and the hovering dying toll and unprecedented struggling amongst Palestinians.
PHOTOS: At least 60 are killed in central Gaza in one of many warfare’s deadliest strikes
“The war exacts a very heavy price from us, but we have no choice but to continue fighting,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned.
In a nationally televised speech, Israeli President Isaac Herzog appealed for the nation to stay united. “This moment is a test. We will not break nor blink,” he mentioned.
There has been widespread anger towards his authorities, which many criticize for failing to guard civilians on Oct. 7 and selling insurance policies that allowed Hamas to realize energy through the years. Netanyahu has averted accepting accountability for the army and coverage failures.
“Over time, the public will find it hard to ignore the heavy price paid, as well as the suspicion that the aims that were loudly heralded are still far from being attained, and that Hamas is showing no signs of capitulating in the near future,” wrote Amos Harel, army affairs commentator for the Haaretz newspaper.
The Israeli army mentioned it had accomplished the dismantling of Hamas’ underground headquarters in northern Gaza, a part of an operation to take down the huge tunnel community and kill off high commanders that Israeli leaders have mentioned may take months.
Efforts towards negotiations continued. The head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, arrived in Egypt for talks. The militant group, which additionally took half within the Oct. 7 assault, mentioned it was ready to contemplate releasing hostages solely after combating ends. Hamas’ high chief Ismail Haniyeh traveled to Cairo for talks days earlier.
Israel’s offensive has been one of the vital devastating army campaigns in latest historical past. More than two-thirds of the 20,000 Palestinians killed have been girls and kids, in accordance with the Health Ministry in Gaza, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Elsewhere, the Palestinian Red Crescent mentioned a 13-year-old boy was shot and killed in an Israeli drone assault whereas inside al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, part of Gaza the place Israel‘s military believes Hamas leaders are hiding.
An Israeli strike overnight hit a house in a refugee camp west of the city of Rafah, on Gaza’s border with Egypt. At least two males had been killed, in accordance with Associated Press journalists within the hospital the place the our bodies had been taken.
At least two folks had been killed and 6 others wounded when a missile caught a constructing within the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza.
And Palestinians reported heavy Israeli bombardment and gunfire in Jabaliya, an space north of Gaza City that Israel had claimed to regulate. Hamas’ army arm mentioned its fighters shelled Israeli troops in Jabaliya and Jabaliya refugee camp.
Israel faces worldwide criticism for the civilian dying toll nevertheless it blames Hamas, citing the militants’ use of crowded residential areas and tunnels. Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes since Oct. 7. It says it has killed hundreds of Hamas militants, with out presenting proof.
Israel additionally faces allegations of mistreating Palestinian males and teenage boys detained in properties, shelters, hospitals and elsewhere in the course of the offensive. It has denied abuse allegations and mentioned these with out hyperlinks to militants are shortly launched.
Speaking to the AP from a hospital mattress in Rafah after his launch, Khamis al-Burdainy of Gaza City mentioned Israeli forces detained him after tanks and bulldozers partly destroyed his house. He mentioned males had been handcuffed and blindfolded.
“We didn’t sleep. We didn’t get food and water,” he mentioned, crying and masking his face.
Another launched detainee, Mohammed Salem, from the Gaza City neighborhood of Shijaiyah, mentioned Israeli troops beat them. “We were humiliated,” he mentioned. “A female soldier would come and beat an old man, aged 72 years old.”
The United Nations Security Council has handed a watered-down decision calling for the speedy supply of humanitarian help for hungry and determined Palestinians and the discharge of all of the hostages, however not for a cease-fire.
But it was not instantly clear how and when deliveries of meals, medical provides and different help, far under the each day common of 500 earlier than the warfare, would speed up. Trucks enter by way of two crossings – Rafah, and Kerem Shalom on the border with Israel. Wael Abu Omar, a spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority, mentioned 93 help vehicles entered Gaza by way of Rafah on Saturday.
The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reiterated U.N. requires a humanitarian cease-fire, including on social media that “the decimation of the Gaza health system is a tragedy.”
Amid issues a few wider regional battle, the U.S. Central Command mentioned a patrol ship within the Red Sea on Saturday shot down 4 drones launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, some time two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles had been fired into worldwide transport lanes.
The Iran-backed Houthis say their assaults are geared toward Israel-linked ships in an effort to cease the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
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Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press author Jack Jeffery in London contributed to this report.
