The Israeli army revealed on Sunday that a total of 152 soldiers have lost their lives in the ongoing offensive against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. The toll includes nine soldiers who died in fighting on Saturday, marking one of the deadliest days for the military since the ground assault commenced on October 27. The Israeli army expressed its intention to continue operations across Gaza, with indications that forces are nearing operational control in north Gaza.
Rescue efforts in central Gaza were underway to extract people from a destroyed residential building in the city of Deir al-Balah. Israel maintains its position of not directly targeting civilians, emphasizing the significance of the war against Hamas to prevent the recurrence of attacks on Israeli farms, villages, and kibbutzim in October.
Hamas reported new strikes in Jabalia and Khan Yunis early on Sunday. The UN estimates that nearly 80 percent of Gaza’s 2.4 million population has been displaced due to the conflict. In the midst of the ongoing war, US President Joe Biden had a “long talk” with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, focusing on Israel’s military operation objectives and the crucial need to protect civilians.
While the United States allowed the passage of a UN Security Council resolution for life-saving aid to Gaza, Israel insisted on continuing the war until its goals are achieved. Demonstrations in Tel Aviv called for the release of captives held in Gaza, while talks aimed at a truce and prisoner swap appeared to be stalled. The conflict’s impact extended beyond Gaza, with attacks on shipping routes, including a drone strike on a chemical tanker off Veraval, India, attributed to Iran. The broader region saw cross-border skirmishes between Israeli forces and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, backed by Iran.