Fierce Fighting In Gaza As More Civilians Set To Leave
Gaza has witnessed fierce fighting overnight with a live feed capturing sound of explosions and bright flames on the horizon.
Israeli military said it has killed dozens of Hamas fighters having earlier said, its troops had broken through its enemy’s defensive lines.
More civilians are expected to leave Gaza via the Rafah crossing today.
More than 20,000 wounded people are still trapped in Gaza strip, according to doctors without borders (MSF).
Egyptian officials said 335 foreigners or dual-nationals, plus 76 seriously wounded and sick people, were brought across the Rafah crossing for medical treatment on Wednesday.
Responding to a heckler during a speech, US president Joe Biden said there had to be a “pause” in fighting to facilitate the release of Hamas’s hostages.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said more than 8,700 people have been killed since Israel’s retaliatory bombing began.
Read Also:
In the daily IDF briefing, spokesman Daniel Hagari says the military has contacted the families of 242 hostages being held in Gaza.
The last reported number was 239.
Hamas say they have hidden the hostages across Gaza, including in tunnels. Last week, they said at least 50 hostages had been killed by Israeli air strikes – a figure that can’t be verified.
And yesterday, Hamas said seven hostages were killed in an air strike on the Jabalia refugee camp.
The German government has banned the activities of Hamas – already designated as a terrorist organisation in the country.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said: “I have today completely banned the activities of a terrorist organisation whose aim is to destroy the state of Israel.”
It means it will be a criminal offence to have meetings in the name of Hamas or spread their propaganda.
Faeser also announced that the pro-Palestinian network, known as Samidoun, would be disbanded within Germany.
Last month Chancellor Olaf Scholz said its members had been celebrating Hamas “terror” in Israel on German streets.
