Israel bombed areas of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip overnight, with fighting throughout Sunday morning, residents and Palestinian media said, as the Israeli military announced a mounting death toll in clashes with Hamas fighters.
Israel claims it has achieved almost complete operational control over northern Gaza and is preparing to expand a ground offensive to other areas, but Jabalia residents reported persistent aerial bombardment and shelling from Israeli tanks, which they said had moved further into the town on Saturday. Resistance fighters continue to mount attacks in areas Israel claims control over.
According to the latest casualty figures 20,561 Palestinians have been martyred in Gaza and the West Bank, including at least 8,276 children. Additionally, at least 57,975 Palestinians have been injured, Al Jazeera reported.
The Israeli military appeared to be meeting stiff resistance. It said on Sunday eight soldiers had been killed in the Strip, bringing to 154 its published combat losses since its ground invasion started.
Israeli strikes in Gaza killed more than 200 people in 24 hours, said Gazan authorities.
Fighting is now centred on Gaza City and the southern city of Khan Yunis, both considered strongholds of the Palestinian resistance group.
After reports of heavy Israeli shelling, grey and black smoke rose over the north of the besieged coastal territory and in Khan Yunis.
The refugee camp-turned-city is the birthplace of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ leader in Gaza and the man Israel holds most responsible for the October attacks.
The Israeli Army chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, visited troops on the ground in Khan Yunis, telling them that the operation had been “very impressive, truly very impressive, both the attack here and carrying out the operation in a secure manner”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the war in Gaza was exacting a “very heavy price” as the toll of Israeli soldiers killed in fighting with Hamas mounted.
“This is a difficult morning, after a very difficult day of fighting in Gaza… The war is exacting a very heavy price… but we have no choice but to keep fighting,” he said in a statement, after the army announced that 14 soldiers had been killed in the Palestinian territory since Friday.
Israeli army said it had attacked about 200 targets in Gaza over the past day and nine more soldiers were killed.
The United States shot down four drones headed towards a US destroyer in the southern Red Sea and launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.—Agencies
