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Israel appears to be determined to go on with its war on the Gaza Strip, despite taking more losses and facing more international pressure.
On December 23, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced that three of its troops were killed during fighting in northern Gaza.
The slain troops are named as: Cpt. Ilay Gavriel Atedgi, 22, from Kiryat Motzkin; Staff Sgt. Netanel Pessach, 21, from Elazar; and Sgt. First Class (res.) Hillel Diener, 21, from Talmon. They all served in the Kfir Brigade’s Shimshon Battalion.
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According to an initial IDF probe, the soldiers were killed by an explosive device in the Beit Hanoun area.
The deaths brought Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip to 391. The toll includes a police officer killed in a hostage rescue mission and a Defense Ministry civilian contractor. More than 2,400 others were wounded.
Besides the deadly attack in Beit Hanoun, the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas Movement, released between December 22 and 25 several videos showing some of their recent operations against the IDF in northern Gaza.
Despite taking losses, the IDF continues to conduct operations in Gaza. On December 24, the military said that a Hamas rocket launcher positioned next to a United Nations building in Gaza City’s Shati camp was struck by its fighter jets. The strike was carried out after calling on civilians in the area to evacuate, according to the military.
And on December 25, the IDF announced that two Hamas tunnels were demolished by its combat engineers in Gaza.
According to the military, the tunnels, one in southern Gaza and one in the Strip’s center, spanned a total of two kilometers underground and were to be used by Hamas to launch attacks. The military said that the tunnels featured branching paths and multiple exit shafts, some of which were booby-trapped.
Numerous weapons were also found inside the tunnels, the military added, noting combat engineers with the Gaza Division, including the elite Yahalom unit, located and demolished the two tunnels.
The Israeli war on the Gaza Strip has so far claimed the lives of more than 45,000 Palestinians, mainly women and children. Still, Israel does not appear to be ready for a ceasefire yet. Ongoing talks with Hamas appear to be facing some serious issues.
Responding to accusations by Hamas of delaying a ceasefire deal, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office blamed the group for getting in the way of an agreement.
“The terrorist organization Hamas is lying again,” the office said in a statement, “reneging on the understandings already reached, and continuing to make it difficult for the negotiations.”
“Nevertheless, Israel will continue tirelessly in its efforts to bring home all of our hostages.”
The differences between Israel and Hamas over a possible deal have narrowed, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials’ remarks earlier this week. However, key issues have yet to be resolved. Hamas is reportedly yet to hand over a list of the hostages, living or dead, to be released in the first stage of a potential ceasefire.
Further complicating the situation, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel will not cede security control over Gaza.
Katz made the comments while visiting the so-called Philadelphi Corridor, a belt of land on Gaza’s border with Egypt. While there, he met with commanders and received a situational briefing, the minister said.
“We will ensure that security control is in the hands of the IDF, which will be authorized to act anywhere to prevent threats,” Katz said, according to the statement.
“We will make sure there are security zones, buffer zones and strategic posts which will ensure the security of towns,” he added, without explaining what he meant by security zone. “There will be no Hamas rule, and no Hamas military. We will create a new reality here, thanks to the daily fighting, which is continuing even now.”
All in all, the war in Gaza is still as intense as before. The recent progress in the talks between Hamas and Israel is yet to produce a ceasefire agreement.
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