NEW DELHI: Despite growing international pressure and calls for a ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains resolute, asserting that the conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas will persist. Netanyahu made these statements during a visit to Israeli troops stationed in northern Gaza on Monday. The conflict escalated after Hamas infiltrated southern Israel on October 7, prompting Israel to launch attacks on Gaza with the goal of “finishing off” the militant group.
FLASH: Over 100 killed in Israeli airstrikes in #Gaza, including 70 in residential bombings. International calls for a ceasefire persist, but Israel’s PM remains defiant, vowing to continue the conflict against Hamas. #GazaUnderAttack #Gaza pic.twitter.com/qvwPAEoU5g
— The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) December 26, 2023
“We are not stopping. The war will continue until the end until we finish it, no less,” declared Netanyahu. He addressed lawmakers from his Likud Party, emphasising that the war was far from over and dismissing media speculation about a potential ceasefire. Netanyahu further stated that the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas is contingent on Israel applying military pressure.
Hamas and its ally, Islamic Jihad, reportedly hold over 100 hostages, captured during the October 7 incident. Around half of these hostages, primarily women and children, were released during a temporary ceasefire in November, exchanging them for Palestinian prisoners.
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On December 24, Israeli airstrikes intensified, resulting in over 100 deaths, marking one of the deadliest nights in the ongoing conflict. Palestinian sources reported airstrikes near Nasser Hospital, southern Gaza’s largest medical facility in Khan Younis, and the deaths of 7 Individuals in an airstrike on a house in the Al-Aman neighbourhood.
Palestinian health authorities indicate that nearly 20,700 Gazans have been killed in the conflict, with 250 fatalities reported in the last 24 hours alone. The majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million population has been displaced, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis.
Gemma Connell, a United Nations worker in Gaza, described the dire situation to the British news agency Reuters, stating, “There’s so little space left here in Rafah that people just don’t know where they will go, and it feels like people being moved around a human chessboard because there’s an evacuation order somewhere.”
An Israeli army spokesperson countered, claiming that efforts were made to evacuate civilians to safety, but Hamas obstructed these attempts. The spokesperson alleged that Hamas uses civilians as human shields, a charge the militant group vehemently denies. The situation remains critical, with the conflict showing no signs of abating, leaving the civilian population caught in the crossfire.
