A week after the Israeli military launched the ground operations in Gaza Strip, it says it has encircled the Gaza City and is fighting "face-to-face" battles with Hamas.
The development comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and newly-appointed US envoy to Israel Jack Lew are visiting Israel. Antony will hold meetings with top Israeli leaders to seek an update on the war and press for the further easing of the humanitarian crises in Gaza.
Following the all-out offensive on Israel on October 7 in which Hamas killed at least 1,400, injured over 5,400, and took more than 220 hostages, Israel launched a counter-attack against Hamas with the intention to eliminate the group and drive it out of Gaza, one half of the envisioned Palestinian state that it has occupied since 2007. While several Hamas leaders and facilities have been taken down in three weeks of fighting, which have seen intense bombardment of Gaza, widespread civilian casualties have also been reported.
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Latest figures released by the Hamas-run Gazan authorities say the death toll in Israeli attacks has crossed 9,000, of whom at least 3,600 are children. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have also been displaced in the weeks of fighting and are in a precarious condition as Gaza's stocks of food, water, medicines, and fuel are dwindling. While Israel has reopened most of the water supply that it initially stopped and more aid is now entering Gaza through the Rafah crossing at the Egypt-Gaza border, fuel supplies are not part of these supplies and the flow of aid is not yet close to the 100-200 trucks a day envisioned by the United Nations (UN) agencies.
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Last week, the Israeli military entered Gaza and began a narrower ground operation in northern Gaza region. Instead of a full-fledged invasion that was anticipated, the military now appears to be encircling northern Gaza and separating it from the southern part of the Palestinian enclave.
"Armor forces and infantry, backed by many aircraft, are attacking outposts, command centers, launching positions, and additional terrorist infrastructure used by Hamas. The soldiers are eliminating terrorists in face-to-face battles...At this moment, the idea of a cease-fire is not on the table at all. The Israel Defense Force is at war to dismantle Hamas," said Israeli military spokesperson Real Admiral Hagari, as per The New York Times.
Israel has rejected the calls for a ceasefire so far, saying that any such step would only help Hamas which would either not observe a ceasefire or would take the time to regroup and rearm itself and launch another attack against Israel. Now, however, the United States, the principal backer of Israel, has also called for a humanitarian pause in the fighting. It is expected to come up during Blinken's visit to Israel.
"In Israel, Secretary Blinken will reiterate U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism consistent with international humanitarian law and discuss efforts to safeguard U.S. citizens in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, work to secure the immediate release of hostages, increase the pace and volume of humanitarian assistance entering Gaza for distribution to Palestinian civilians, and prevent the conflict from spreading," said the US Department of State ahead of Blinken's visit.
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Throughout the Israel-Hamas War, US President Joe Biden and his administration have supported the Israeli war against Hamas but have also pressed for increased attention to the humanitarian crises in the Gaza where widespread civilian casualties have taken place. The US efforts have led to the opening of water supply to Gaza, increased supply of aid through the Rafah crossing at the Gaza-Egypt border, and a narrower ground operation in place of a full-fledged invasion of Gaza.
Ahead of Blinken's visit, the CNN reported that the visit would involve conversations with the Israeli leaders about the humanitarian crises in Gaza. The Biden administration has stated that the Hamas has to be destroyed but it has also emphasised since the beginning that Hamas does not represent Palestinians and rights of the civilians have to be respected. Countries like the United Kingdom and India have also joined the United States in sending aid to Gaza and calling for respect to human rights in the region.
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"President Joe Biden's administration has ramped up its public rhetoric about the need for Israel to abide by international humanitarian law, but it has not condemned the country's actions in Gaza. That is expected to be a key aspect of Blinken’s conversations with Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as will the need for Israel not to become an occupying force in Gaza," reported CNN.
CNN further quoted State Department spokesperson Matt Miller as saying that Blinken would also seek an update on the Israeli military objectives and plans to achieve them. Moreover, he would also talk about increasing and sustaining that increased flow of aid to Gaza.
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Miller also said that the Biden administration has also expressed concern regarding the Israeli settler-Palestinian violence in the West Bank which he described as "incredibly destabilising" and counter-productive to Israel's long-term security.
Both Israel and the United States have said that, once Hamas is defeated in Gaza, Israel should not occupy Gaza. After decades of control, Israel moved out of Gaza in 2005. Following Israel's withdrawal, Hamas, a designated terrorist group, took control of Gaza and drove out the internationally-recognised Fatah that runs the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in the West Bank. Together, West Bank and Gaza are part of the envisioned State of Palestine. Since the Hamas-takeover of Gaza, the region has been under a strict blockade by Israel and Egypt that has made everyday life hard for the residents — in addition to the frequent wars and conflicts. The Hamas-takeover of Gaza is also considered to be a major reason for the failure of progress regarding the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
