Hamas is said to be at "its breaking point." This is what the Israeli army affirms, which on Tuesday 12 December increased its pressure against the terrorist group in the Gaza Strip. On Monday night, Hamas, which is in power in the Palestinian enclave, reported violent clashes in the center of the territory. In a televised address, Jewish Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said his forces were retaking "their last strongholds."
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Israel's IDF chief of staff, for his part, said the Defense Forces were "intensifying" their operations in the south while consolidating its presence in the north. On Monday, numerous strikes targeted the towns of Khan Younis, the new epicentre of the fighting, and Rafah, on the Egyptian border, where tens of thousands of people fleeing the fighting are massing.
'Apocalyptic' humanitarian situation
The conflict is indeed pushing civilians to flee: 1.9 million people have been displaced, or 85% of the population, according to the UN. The situation in the Gaza Strip is "apocalyptic", EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned on Monday evening, adding that the level of destruction in the Palestinian territory is "more or less, even higher" than that of Germany during World War II. According to the UN, more than half of the homes have been destroyed or damaged.
"More and more people haven't eaten for a day, two days, three days... People lack everything," said the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini. In a daily bulletin on the situation in the Gaza Strip, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that displaced people in Rafah "face dire conditions, in overcrowded places, both inside and outside shelters."
Humanitarian aid should 'double'
The United Nations and humanitarian organizations have de facto urged Israel to allow more aid into the Gaza Strip. On Monday night, Israel announced the establishment of two additional checkpoints for the inspection of trucks before they enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing. According to her, the measure should "double" the inflow of aid. However, no other crossing points will be open.
The announcement comes ahead of a special meeting of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday on the humanitarian situation in Gaza after the US vetoed a Security Council resolution on Friday calling for a "humanitarian ceasefire". The Assembly, whose resolutions are not binding, could again vote on a resolution calling for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" and the "immediate and unconditional" release of all hostages - 137 people are still being held hostage out of the 240 abducted on 7 October.
"We still don't support a ceasefire because that would leave Hamas in control of Gaza, but we absolutely support additional humanitarian pauses," White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. The "humanitarian pause", negotiated at the end of November under the aegis of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, allowed the entry of more humanitarian aid and the release of several dozen Palestinian hostages and prisoners held in Israel.
White Phosphorus
Meanwhile, the U.S. government said it was "concerned" by Washington Post reports that Israel used U.S.-made white phosphorus munitions in strikes in Lebanon in October. Phosphorus bombs are incendiary weapons whose use is prohibited against civilians, but not against military targets, according to a Convention signed in 1980 in Geneva. When asked about this, Yoav Gallant said only that the Israeli army is operating "in accordance with international law."
Hamas and Israel have been at war for 67 days now. According to Israel, 1200,7 people, mostly civilians, were killed on October 18, when Palestinian terrorists swept into its soil. According to the Hamas administration's Ministry of Health, more than 200,<> people have died in the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, the vast majority of them women and minors. The Israeli army reported about <> dead in its ranks.