لبنان اليوم
News reports coming from Palestine and Israel, on Tuesday evening, indicated the start of intense Israeli shelling targeting multiple areas in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian media reported that the shelling was particularly focused on the eastern area of Deir al-Balah in the central part of the Strip, noting the registration of two Israeli airstrikes. Eyewitnesses also confirmed to Reuters that Israeli aircraft carried out airstrikes on Gaza City.
The agency clarified that “Israel is bombing an area near the largest hospital still operating in northern Gaza,” with no accurate information yet on the number of dead and wounded.
For its part, Israeli sources confirmed that the Israeli army has begun implementing new military operations in Gaza. Channel 12 reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “briefed the Americans on the response in Gaza.”
Netanyahu had directed the army to carry out “fierce raids” on the Strip, and a statement issued by his office stated: “In light of recent developments, the Prime Minister instructed the Israeli army to carry out fierce raids on the Gaza Strip immediately.”
This decision came after security consultations held by Netanyahu with a number of officials in his government to discuss how to respond to what Tel Aviv describes as “Hamas violations.”
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation also quoted a source as saying that “Israel has decided to expand the area it controls in the Gaza Strip.”
Israel accuses Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement, after confirming that some of the remains returned by the movement belong to a hostage whose body the army had recovered about two years ago during a military operation in Gaza.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated: “Hamas will pay a heavy price for its attack against Israeli army soldiers in Gaza and for its violation of the agreement to return hostages and the dead.”
source: 961 today
