The Israeli military hit more than 200 targets in the Gaza Strip overnight into early Tuesday, October 10, 2023, including the Rimal neighbourhood in Gaza City as well as Khan Younis city.
The military disclosed that the locations hit included a weapons storage site inside a mosque as well as an apartment used by Hamas’s anti-tank guided missile forces.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have razed 790 housing units and severely damaged 5,330 of them.
Damage to three water and sanitation sites have cut off services to 400,000 people.
The Israeli military also announced that it has regained “full control” of the Gaza fence that was breached by the Hamas gunmen who infiltrated into southern Israel on Saturday, October 7, 2023.
Daniel Hagari, Spokesman for the Israeli military, stated that no Hamas fighter has crossed the fence over the past 24 hours.
However, he did not discount the possibility that some of the gunmen were still within the Israeli-controlled areas.
Hagari added that the military is now planting mines in the parts where the barrier was toppled to prevent further infiltrations.
A news agency reported that Israeli officers are preparing to inform 100 families that their loved ones have been taken hostage by Hamas and are being held in Gaza.
Citing the Israeli Army radio, the news agency announced, “The Israel Defence Force is sending out officers today to inform over 100 Israeli families that their relatives are being held in Gaza by Hamas.”
Meanwhile, demonstrations in support of Palestine and Israel have continued across the world over the last 24 hours.
Pro-Palestine rallies took place in cities including Cape Town in South Africa, Athens in Greece and Sydney in Australia.
Rival rallies in support of both Israel and Palestine took place in the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires and the UK capital, London.
In response to Israel’s aerial attacks, the spokesman of Hamas’ armed wing, Abu Obeida, said on Monday, October 8, 2023, night that the group will kill one Israeli hostage any time Israel targets civilians in their homes in Gaza “without prior warning.”
Israeli Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen warned Hamas against harming any of the hostages, saying, “This war crime will not be forgiven.”
U.S Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, revealed that he has spoken with his Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen, and reaffirmed Washington’s support to secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
Palestinian Health Ministry Calls For Safe Corridor For Medical Aid
The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza called for the opening of a “safe corridor to ensure the entry of urgent medical aid” into the territory’s hospitals, which are now overwhelmed with the dead and wounded.
The health ministry said that the death toll from Israeli air attacks on the territory has risen to 704, including 143 children and 105 women.
The ministry added that the attacks have wounded some 4,000 other Palestinians.
It said Israeli forces targeted four ambulances east of the city of Khan Younis overnight and that bombing of the city of Beit Hanoun has put its only hospital out of service.
“There continues to be a lack of electricity to operate the health care system. This threatens the lives of all sick and injured people,” the health ministry added in a separate statement.
Later, the World Health Organization iterated the call for a humanitarian corridor into the Gaza Strip.
“WHO is calling for an end to the violence… a humanitarian corridor is needed to reach people with critical medical supplies,” WHO Spokesman, Tarik Jasarevic told a press briefing in Geneva.
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