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RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel’s assault in Gaza has killed greater than 29,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7, the territory’s Well being Ministry stated Monday, marking one other grim milestone in one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in current historical past.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to proceed the offensive till “complete victory” in opposition to Hamas after the militants’ Oct. 7 assault on Israeli communities. He and the navy have stated troops will transfer quickly into the southernmost town of Rafah on the Egyptian border, the place over half of Gaza’s 2.3 million individuals have sought refuge from preventing elsewhere.
America, Israel’s high ally, says it’s nonetheless working with mediators Egypt and Qatar to attempt to dealer one other cease-fire and hostage launch settlement. However these efforts appear to have stalled in recent days, and Netanyahu angered Qatar by calling on it to stress Hamas and suggesting it funds the militant group.
The battle has additionally introduced close to each day exchanges of fireside between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group that ceaselessly threaten to escalate.
Israeli warplanes on Monday carried out not less than two strikes close to the southern port metropolis of Sidon in one of many largest assaults close to a significant metropolis, Lebanese state media stated. There was no fast phrase on casualties. The Israeli navy stated it attacked Hezbollah arms depots close to Sidon in retaliation for a drone that exploded in an open discipline close to the northern Israeli metropolis of Tiberias earlier Monday.
In Gaza, the Well being Ministry stated the demise toll had risen to 29,092 for the reason that begin of the battle, round two-thirds of them ladies and kids. Greater than 69,000 Palestinians have been wounded, overwhelming the territory’s hospitals, lower than half of that are even partially functioning.
The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its depend. The Health Ministry is a part of the Hamas-run authorities in Gaza however maintains detailed information of casualties. Its figures from earlier wars in Gaza have largely matched these of U.N. businesses, impartial consultants and Israel’s personal tallies.
The battle started when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 individuals, largely civilians, and taking around 250 men, women and children hostage. After a spherical of exchanges for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel in November, round 130 stay captive, a fourth of them believed to be lifeless.
The Israeli navy launched a video on Monday exhibiting what’s believed to be the youngest hostage, his brother and mom being led by means of the streets of the southern Gaza metropolis of Khan Younis quickly after their kidnapping on Oct. 7.
The video gives proof that Shiri Bibas and her two younger boys, Ariel, 4, and Kfir, who was 9 months previous on the time, survived the preliminary kidnapping. The boys are the one youngsters who stay in captivity, together with their mom.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the navy’s chief spokesman, stated the military is “very involved” concerning the household’s wellbeing. He stated the military discovered the movies in safety cameras seized throughout its offensive in Khan Younis.
The video seems to point out Bibas, wrapped in a blanket, being led by means of a dust road by her captors as she carries Ariel. The navy stated it believed that Kfir was in a child sling and couldn’t be seen below the blanket.
The toddler with pink hair and a toothless smile has turn out to be a logo throughout Israel for the helplessness and anger over the hostages nonetheless held in Gaza. Their father, Yarden Bibas, can also be nonetheless in captivity.
In a press release, the prolonged Bibas household stated the movies “tear our hearts out.” They made a determined plea for negotiations to launch the entire hostages. In January, the household and tons of of activists marked Kfir’s first birthday in what his household referred to as “the saddest party on the planet.”
With 1000’s of Palestinians detained by Israel for the reason that battle started, an Israeli human rights group reported that Palestinians inside Israeli prisons face each day violence from guards, who enter cells and beat inmates with batons, kicks and fists with out provocation in abuse it stated might quantity to torture. Physicians for Human Rights—Israel stated in a report Monday that detainees reported guards urinating on them and forcing them to kiss the Israeli flag and to strip. Prisoners are additionally held in overcrowded cells and disadvantaged of water for lengthy intervals, it stated.
The U.N. Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern about tons of of Palestinian ladies and ladies in Israeli detention. It stated there have been credible stories that not less than two have been raped, and others “subjected to a number of types of sexual assault,” together with being stripped bare and searched by male officers and being photographed “in degrading circumstances.”
Israel says it has killed over 10,000 Palestinian militants however has offered no proof for its depend. The navy says it tries to keep away from harming civilians and blames the excessive demise toll on Hamas as a result of the militant group fights in dense residential neighborhoods. The navy says 236 of its troopers have been killed for the reason that begin of the bottom offensive in late October.
On Sunday, Benny Gantz, a member of Netanyahu’s three-man Struggle Cupboard, warned that the offensive would broaden to Rafah if the hostages are usually not freed by the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, anticipated round March 10.
Israel has stated it’s growing plans to evacuate civilians from Rafah, but it surely’s not clear the place they might go within the devastated territory, large areas of which have been flattened. Egypt has sealed the border and warned that any mass inflow of Palestinians could threaten its decades-old peace treaty with Israel.
Already, the battle has pushed round 80% of the Palestinians in Gaza from their properties and has left a quarter of the population starving, in accordance with U.N. officers.
America says it’s nonetheless pushing for a truce and hostage-release, and that it would veto a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a direct cease-fire as a result of it conflicts with these efforts.
Hamas has stated it gained’t launch the entire remaining hostages till Israel ends the battle and withdraws from Gaza. It’s also demanding the discharge of tons of of Palestinian prisoners, together with high militants.
Netanyahu has rejected those demands. In a speech earlier than American Jewish leaders on Sunday, he stated stress must be utilized on Qatar, which played a key role in mediating final yr’s cease-fire and hostage launch deal.
“Qatar can press Hamas as nobody else can. They host Hamas leaders, Hamas depends on them financially,” Netanyahu stated. “I urge you to press Qatar to press Hamas as a result of we would like our hostages launched.”
Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s overseas ministry spokesperson, dismissed Netanyahu’s remarks as “a brand new try to stall and lengthen the battle for causes which have turn out to be apparent to everybody,” alluding to the Israeli chief’s domestic political troubles.
Qatar denies funding Hamas and says its provision of aid to Gaza lately was carried out in full coordination with Israel, the U.S. and different events.
“The Israeli prime minister is aware of very effectively that Qatar has been dedicated from day one to mediation efforts, ending the disaster and liberating the hostages,” al-Ansari stated.
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Magdy reported from Cairo
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Discover extra of AP’s protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
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