The Israeli military has resumed airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, targeting the Palestinian militant faction Hamas, and has simultaneously expanded ground military operations in several areas of the region.
On the 23rd local time, the Israeli army issued an evacuation order for the Tal Al-Sultan area in the western part of the southern Gaza town of Rafah and completed an encirclement operation by advancing ground troops. They also initiated a ground operation in the northern Gaza area of Beit Hanoun.
The Israeli military stated that the purpose is to dismantle terrorist infrastructure, eliminate terrorists, strengthen control over the southern Gaza Strip, and expand the security zone. Some facilities were also targeted in airstrikes.
Through its Arabic account on X (formerly Twitter), the Israeli army warned that they had started an offensive against terrorist organizations and declared the area a dangerous combat zone, advising residents of Tal Al-Sultan to evacuate via designated routes.
The military further warned that remaining in shelters, tents, homes, or moving through unspecified pathways could endanger the lives of individuals and their families.
The Health Ministry of the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip announced that 41 Palestinian residents had died and 61 were injured in the past 24 hours. They claimed that since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, the total death toll had risen to 50,021.
Among those who died overnight was Salah Al-Bardawil, a Hamas political bureau official and Palestinian parliament member, along with his wife, as reported by AP News.
The first phase of the truce agreed upon by Israel and Hamas expired on the 1st of this month, and after Israel conducted large-scale airstrikes on the 18th, intense ground battles have recommenced.
Additionally, the Israeli army reported successfully intercepting a missile launched from Yemen before it entered Israeli territory. The pro-Iranian Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for the missile, which they stated was aimed at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.
For tips, contact:
– Phone: 02-781-1234, 4444
– Email: kbs1234@kbs.co.kr
– KakaoTalk: Search ‘KBS Report’ and add the channel
– Subscribe to KBS News on Naver and YouTube!