Israeli forces say hostage rescued as they push deeper into Gaza
Gaza medics say the death toll has risen to 8,306
30 October 2023 - 22:27
byNidal Al-Mughrabi
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Smoke rises in the air above Gaza following Israeli bombings, as seen from Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, on October 16 2023. Picture: REUTERS
Gaza/Jerusalem — Armoured Israeli forces attacked Gaza's key northern city from two sides on Monday and targeted the main road linking it to the south of the enclave, witnesses said, as the military said it had freed one hostage.
Israel’s military said it had struck more than 600 militant targets over the past few days as it widened ground operations in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian civilians are in dire need of fuel, food and clean water as the war enters its fourth week.
Islamist militants said they had repelled an attempted thrust by Israeli tanks into Gaza City from the east and were fighting them along the border with Israel in north Gaza.
“Our duty today is fight and fight,” the Islamic Jihad militant group, fighting alongside Gaza’s ruling Hamas, said in a statement, adding that now was not the time for a ceasefire.
The Israeli military said it had killed four prominent Hamas operatives. “IDF troops killed dozens of terrorists who barricaded themselves in buildings and tunnels, and attempted to attack the troops,” it said in an update.
Neither side commented on the other’s reports.
Israel renewed warnings for civilians to move from the north of the tiny, densely populated enclave to the south as it began an advance into Gaza late on Friday to pursue Hamas militants it says are hiding in a labyrinth of tunnels under Gaza City.
Many Palestinians have stayed put for fear of becoming homeless like previous generations, and over alarm about Israeli aerial strikes further south.
Fadi, who lives in the Jabalia refugee camp on Gaza City’s northern outskirts and declined to give his last name, said the area was now in mortal danger from Israel’s ground offensive with tanks rumbling on its fringes. But he vowed not to flee.
“No-one in the entire neighbourhood has left. We are staying,” he said by phone. “Whether tanks or planes, there will not be another displacement (of Palestinians). That is our decision even if that will mean our martyrdom (death).”
Captive freed
Medical authorities in Gaza, where 2.3-million people are crammed into an enclave 45km long, said on Monday that 8,306 people — including 3,457 minors — had been killed in Israel’s three-week-old air and ground onslaught.
Israel launched a “total siege” of Gaza after Hamas-led militants burst over the border and rampaged through nearby Israeli towns and kibbutzes on October 7, killing 1,400 people and taking 229 hostages, according to Israeli authorities.
An Israeli soldier who was among the hostages was freed in Gaza during the operation, the military said on Monday. It said the soldier, Ori Megidish, had since undergone medical checks and she was “doing well.” It gave no details on the circumstances of her release.
Later on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned as “cruel psychological propaganda” a video released by Hamas showing three female hostages with one accusing him of failing to protect and secure the release of all the captives.
Netanyahu said the Israeli ground campaign in Gaza creates possibilities for rescuing the hostages.
“Hamas will not do it unless they are under pressure,” he told reporters. “We obviously greeted one hostage with open arms after yesterday's successful action ... but we're committed to getting all the hostages back home. We think that this method stands a chance.”
Hamas has released four hostages so far and said 50 have been killed in retaliatory Israeli strikes.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Israeli forces say hostage rescued as they push deeper into Gaza
Gaza medics say the death toll has risen to 8,306
Gaza/Jerusalem — Armoured Israeli forces attacked Gaza's key northern city from two sides on Monday and targeted the main road linking it to the south of the enclave, witnesses said, as the military said it had freed one hostage.
Israel’s military said it had struck more than 600 militant targets over the past few days as it widened ground operations in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian civilians are in dire need of fuel, food and clean water as the war enters its fourth week.
Islamist militants said they had repelled an attempted thrust by Israeli tanks into Gaza City from the east and were fighting them along the border with Israel in north Gaza.
“Our duty today is fight and fight,” the Islamic Jihad militant group, fighting alongside Gaza’s ruling Hamas, said in a statement, adding that now was not the time for a ceasefire.
The Israeli military said it had killed four prominent Hamas operatives. “IDF troops killed dozens of terrorists who barricaded themselves in buildings and tunnels, and attempted to attack the troops,” it said in an update.
Neither side commented on the other’s reports.
Israel renewed warnings for civilians to move from the north of the tiny, densely populated enclave to the south as it began an advance into Gaza late on Friday to pursue Hamas militants it says are hiding in a labyrinth of tunnels under Gaza City.
Many Palestinians have stayed put for fear of becoming homeless like previous generations, and over alarm about Israeli aerial strikes further south.
Fadi, who lives in the Jabalia refugee camp on Gaza City’s northern outskirts and declined to give his last name, said the area was now in mortal danger from Israel’s ground offensive with tanks rumbling on its fringes. But he vowed not to flee.
“No-one in the entire neighbourhood has left. We are staying,” he said by phone. “Whether tanks or planes, there will not be another displacement (of Palestinians). That is our decision even if that will mean our martyrdom (death).”
Captive freed
Medical authorities in Gaza, where 2.3-million people are crammed into an enclave 45km long, said on Monday that 8,306 people — including 3,457 minors — had been killed in Israel’s three-week-old air and ground onslaught.
Israel launched a “total siege” of Gaza after Hamas-led militants burst over the border and rampaged through nearby Israeli towns and kibbutzes on October 7, killing 1,400 people and taking 229 hostages, according to Israeli authorities.
An Israeli soldier who was among the hostages was freed in Gaza during the operation, the military said on Monday. It said the soldier, Ori Megidish, had since undergone medical checks and she was “doing well.” It gave no details on the circumstances of her release.
Later on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned as “cruel psychological propaganda” a video released by Hamas showing three female hostages with one accusing him of failing to protect and secure the release of all the captives.
Netanyahu said the Israeli ground campaign in Gaza creates possibilities for rescuing the hostages.
“Hamas will not do it unless they are under pressure,” he told reporters. “We obviously greeted one hostage with open arms after yesterday's successful action ... but we're committed to getting all the hostages back home. We think that this method stands a chance.”
Hamas has released four hostages so far and said 50 have been killed in retaliatory Israeli strikes.
Reuters
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