— Israeli hostages urge Netanyahu to negotiate captives’ release in latest Hamas video
JERUSALEM: The Israeli forces on Monday launched a two-front assault on the primary northern city of Gaza from both its eastern and western flanks.This action comes three days after the commencement of ground operations within the Palestinian territory, which has escalated international pressure to safeguard civilian lives.
Israel’s military reported targeting over 600 objectives in the past few days as it expanded ground manoeuvres in the Gaza Strip. This escalation occurs as Palestinian civilians face urgent requirements for essential resources such as fuel, food, and clean water, with the conflict now entering its fourth week.
“Dozens” of tanks entered the Zaytun district in south of the Palestinian territory’s main city, cutting a key road from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip for more than an hour, witnesses told AFP journalists in southern Gaza by phone.
“They have cut the Salahedin road and are firing at any vehicle that tries to go along it,” said one resident who did not want to be identified.
Israeli jets bombed a section of the road leaving large craters, another resident said.
The military stated, “IDF troops engaged with and neutralised numerous terrorists who had taken refuge within buildings and tunnels, attempting to mount attacks against the troops.”
Notably, four key Hamas figures were among those dealt with during these operations.
‘Prepared to face ground attack,’ Hamas says in meeting with Lebanese intelligence chief
A Hamas delegation met with Lebanese intelligence chief Abbas Ibrahim on Monday, Lebanese media reported.
According to the reports, Hamas officials informed the intelligence chief about the situation in the Gaza Strip. In the meeting, Hamas ensured that they were fully prepared to defend against the Israeli ground attack.
In the last 24 hours, Palestinian resistance fighters have reportedly destroyed 3 tanks and 3 armoured vehicles of the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, a Hamas leader said Monday.
In a separate statement, Gaza Civil Defense said that roads were completely destroyed in the areas affected by the Israeli bombardment, adding that the destruction is causing difficulty for ambulances to reach the affected areas.
It added that constant Israeli bombardment continued around al-Quds Hospital, equating the situation in Gaza to a genocide.
Israeli hostages urge Netanyahu to negotiate captives’ release
Hamas on Monday released a video reportedly featuring three captive women, calling on the Israeli government to negotiate with Hamas for the release of the 239 captives.
The three women are among the 239 individuals that Israel claims were taken to Gaza during the October 7 attacks by the Palestinian group.
The woman in the video said: “Benjamin Netanyahu Hello, we have been in Hamas captivity for 23 days… Yesterday there was a press conference for the families of the prisoners, and we know that there was supposed to be a ceasefire, and you were supposed to release us, you should have released us, and I promised. To release us.
However, we are suffering from your political, security and military failure, because of the “failure” that you caused on the 7th of October, because no soldier was in the place and no one came to us, and no one here defended us, and we are innocent and naive citizens, citizens who pay taxes to a state.
Israel, we are now in captivity under “no conditions” conditions. You are killing us. Do you want to kill us all? You want the army to kill us. Isn’t it enough that you slaughtered everyone? Isn’t it enough for you that there were Israeli citizens killed? Release us now. Release their citizens and prisoners now (meaning the Palestinians). Release us. Release Everyone, we deserve to go back to our families, now now now (shout out loud)”
