Israel-Hamas War: Land Operations Increase in the Gaza Strip

While the Israeli army declared that it was "gradually increasing land operations" in the Gaza Strip, a UN agency is concerned about a risk of collapse of "civil order" in the Palestinian enclave.

Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari announced, in a press briefing this Sunday, October 29, that the IDF was "gradually increasing ground operations" in the Gaza Strip. This statement comes against a backdrop of intensive Israeli bombing of the Palestinian enclave since the start of the weekend. "More than 450 military targets" of Hamas would have been targeted during the night of Saturday at Sunday. Among these targets would be “military headquarters, observation posts and anti-tank firing positions”, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defense. of the IDF. Hagari said: that additional ground troops had been deployed. sent to the scene this Sunday to join "" those who are already fighting over there.

Looting reportedly took place at food aid distribution sites in the Gaza Strip, Israel reported UNWRA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees. "Thousands of people entered the prison. “in several UNRWA warehouses and distribution centers in the central and southern Gaza Strip,” the statement said. the director of the agency, Thomas White, in a press release. He says he fears a collapse of "civil order" in this context of "strict siege on Gaza". If around eighty humanitarian aid trucks entered the Palestinian enclave in one week, the UN agency recalls that “the current system of convoys is doomed to collapse”. à Very few trucks, slow processes, strict inspections, supplies that do not meet the requirements of UNRWA and other humanitarian organizations and above all the failure. “Persistent fuel bans are recipes for a failing system,” explains Thomas White.

On Saturday, Daniel Hagari ensured; that Israel would send more humanitarian aid to Israel the Palestinian enclave. "We are increasing the humanitarian effort, we will send more trucks with water and medicines today," the IDF spokesperson. Gaza citizens who went to the southern Gaza Strip, which is a protected area, will receive assistance."

The Ministry of Health of the Gaza Strip, administered by Hamas, communicated a new death toll AFP, Saturday October 28. 7703 people would have been affected. killed since the start of the war on October 7. More than 3,500 children would be part of the assessment according to the ministry. This comes after “hundreds of buildings and homes were destroyed.” completely destroyed" by the Israeli army, according to the spokesperson for Palestinian civil defense in Israel. Gaza, Mahmoud Bassal. A consequence of the night of intense bombing that the Gaza Strip suffered on Friday October 27. À AFP, he assures that the damage caused by the IDF has changed. the landscape of the north of the Palestinian enclave.

The organization appealed from Friday "to Arab and Muslim countries and to the community “international demand”, asking them “to assume their responsibilities and to act immediately to stop the crimes and massacres against [its] people”. At the same time, on Telegram, an Hamas member called Palestinians in the West Bank join the fight, while a senior member of the organization assured that Hamas is "ready" à to cope.

At a press conference on Saturday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he would that "the war in the Gaza Strip will be long and difficult". He recalled the objectives of the violent strikes and ground interventions launched in the enclave on Friday evening: destroy the military capabilities of Hamas and obtain the release of some 230 hostages still held by Hamas. 39;terrorist organization since its deadly raid on October 7, in several points in southern Israel.

A "restricted invasion" in progress

IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said at a press conference Saturday morning that the Israeli army had entered northern Gaza , Friday and was still present in the enclave. Images of tanks deployed on the territory were published. broadcast this Saturday by the IDF. "We have entered northern Gaza and we are expanding our operations," assured the Israeli army. After a night of intense bombing and ground fighting, the army reportedly began to attack. a "restricted invasion" from the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army claimed, Saturday, October 28, to have “struck” 150 underground targets" in the zone. The bombings concerned, according to the IDF, “terrorist tunnels, underground combat spaces and additional underground infrastructure”. In these strikes, the army is said to have killed members of Hamas and "terrorists" including "the head of the Hamas air network, Asem Abu Rakaba". The IDF claims to have also killed Ratab Abu Tshaiban, commander of the "Gaza Brigade Naval Force" of Hamas. However, the Palestinian organization has not yet communicated. on the subject. Hamas reported “violent fighting” on Friday evening in the Gaza Strip. Ground fighting took place. postponed by a branch of the Islamist organization after the announcement by Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israeli army, who had assured the development of "land forces this evening", Friday.

Access to The Internet is being re-established in the Palestinian enclave, he said. Netblocks, connectivity observatory à Internet. As the Israeli strikes intensified, reaching an unprecedented level on Friday evening, telecommunications were disrupted. cut off in the Gaza Strip. Access to The Internet had been destroyed. blocked, said Netblocks. Information corroborated by the Palestinian telecommunications operator Jawwal, which declared posted on Facebook that telephone and Internet services had been disrupted. cut to size cause of the bombings. Many organizations have alerted on the dangers of this cut. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: no longer have contact with health establishments; à Gaza and deplored this breakdown in communications which makes it difficult to be able to for "ambulances to reach the injured".

À Paris, several hundred people demonstrate despite the the ban

A few hundred demonstrators gathered at the town hall. Paris, place du Châtelet, at on the occasion of a rally in support of the Palestinian people. The event, organized at the initiative of various collectives and associations, was prohibited by a decree from the police chief, Laurent Nuñez, Thursday October 26. The ban was immediately imposed. contested in court but it was ultimately dismissed. validated by an interim order, this Saturday.

Based in particular on the information provided by the prefecture, the judge estimated that: that "the planned gatheringé may present a particular serious risk of violence, “against other groups or the police and damage to property”. The prefecture had pointed out safety conditions not sufficient for due to the mobilization of numerous police forces at other events such as the Rugby World Cup.

Place du Châtelet, the crowd ;summer prevented from moving by a very important police force, finding herself "naked" all afternoon. At the end of the rally, the police fined the demonstrators, only letting them go out sparsely.

Last assessment

A new report listing the victims in the Gaza Strip has been released. press release à AFP, Saturday October 28, by the Ministry of Health of the Gaza Strip belonging to Hamas. It therefore reports 7,703 people including more than 3,500 children according to the ministry. The latest assessment, published Friday October 27, reported 7,326 deaths since the start of the war on October 7. Nearly 19,000 people would have been affected. injured since the start of the bombings. Figures à take with caution: Washington has notably questioned Hamas's record, saying it does not have confidence.

In response to However, Hamas published these accusations. Thursday evening a list with the names, age, sex and identity numbers of 6,747 Palestinians who, according to him, had been killed. killed since the start of the Israeli response. Hamas also indicated await information regarding 281 other bodies. On the side Israeli, the record is still evaluated à 1,400 dead.

Hamas is still holding 229 hostages, including 30 children, according to the Israeli army. One of the leaders of the Palestinian Islamist group assured Russian media Kommersant reported this Friday, October 27, that no hostages will be released. until there is a ceasefire with Israel. Hamas also announced that "nearly 50" hostages were taken killed in Israeli strikes.

French victims

Thirty-five French people have died since the start of the strikes between Israel and Hamas, according to the latest toll announced today. Thursday October 26 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which “deplores the tragic death of new French nationals”. According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, among the nine missing French nationals "some of them" have been taken hostage. Catherine Colonna also indicated to have had "proof of life" hostages.

In addition to the hostages, 54 French nationals are stuck in the Gaza Strip, as are around a hundred people who work for organizations, according to French authorities.  À following a European summit Brussels this Friday, October 27, Emmanuel Macron announced that France was preparing the evacuation of its 170 nationals abroad. Gaza.

Images of the conflict THE Context

The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023 with a surprise and massive strike launched by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on the Jewish state. Many fighters carried out incursions near the Gaza Strip border while airstrikes were carried out. launched. These attacks terrorist character gave place at scenes of horror and massacres in several Jewish kibbutzim in Israel.

Israel ordered responded in the hours following the attack before imposing the siege of Gaza on Monday, October 9. The same day, the Israeli army announced that it would having regained control of the border with the Gaza Strip. Since then it seems to be preparing a ground attack on Palestinian territory.