Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip overnight resulted in the deaths of at least 20 individuals, according to Palestinian medics on Monday. One of the strikes targeted a tent camp in the Muwasi area, which is designated by Israel as a humanitarian zone. Among the casualties were eight people, including two children, as confirmed by Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where the bodies were received. The Israeli military maintains that its strikes are directed solely at militants, alleging that they are using civilians as shields. The military specified that it had aimed at a Hamas militant within the humanitarian zone.
The conflict was sparked by an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, by Hamas-led militants, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, and the capture of around 250 individuals. Presently, around 100 captives remain in Gaza, with an estimated one-third feared deceased. The ongoing air and ground offensive by Israel has led to the deaths of over 45,200 Palestinians, as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry. While the ministry indicates that more than half of the casualties are women and children, it does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The military asserts that it has eliminated over 17,000 militants, although no evidence has been provided to substantiate this claim.
In other news:
– Residents in Jenin are observing a general strike called by militant groups to protest a crackdown by Palestinian security forces. Clashes were reported in the area, but it remains unclear if there were any casualties. The Palestinian Authority, under scrutiny for its cooperation with Israel, is facing backlash from militant factions accusing it of supporting the occupation.
– Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister embarked on a visit to military positions in the country’s south, following a ceasefire deal that ended the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The agreement stipulates the gradual deployment of Lebanese soldiers in the region, with Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops expected to withdraw by the end of the coming month.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed the importance of the enemy’s withdrawal from all the lands encroached upon during its recent aggression, following a meeting with army chief Joseph Aoun at a Lebanese military barracks in the southeastern town of Marjayoun. “We have many tasks ahead of us, the most important being the enemy’s (Israel’s) withdrawal from all the lands it encroached on during its recent aggression,” Mikati emphasized. “Then the army can carry out its tasks in full.”
The Lebanese military has long relied on financial aid, primarily from the United States and other Western countries, to maintain its functionality. The cash-strapped government of Lebanon is hopeful that the conclusion of the war and the ceasefire deal will attract additional funding to enhance the military’s capacity to deploy in the south, where the armed units of Hezbollah were notably present.
While not engaging in active combat, the Lebanese military reported that numerous soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes on their premises or while patrolling convoys in the south. The Israeli army acknowledged some of these attacks.
