Israeli Chief of Staff Predicts Prolonged War with Hamas as Conflict's Reach Widens
In a televised statement on Tuesday, Israel's Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi declared that the ongoing war with Hamas would extend for "many months." Speaking from the Gaza border, Halevi emphasized the absence of quick solutions in dismantling a terrorist organization and stressed the need for determined and persistent fighting.
Israeli military actions intensified in a central area just south of the Gaza Strip around Christmas, prompting the Israeli army to advise civilians to evacuate. However, many residents reported a lack of safe places to go. The situation has raised concerns, with the U.N. Human Rights Office expressing alarm over the continued bombardment of Middle Gaza by Israeli forces, resulting in over 100 Palestinian casualties since Christmas Eve.
"Israeli forces must take all measures available to protect civilians. Warnings and evacuation orders do not absolve them of the full range of their international humanitarian law obligations," stated U.N. Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango.
Despite global calls for a ceasefire in the 11-week-old war, Israel remains committed to destroying Hamas. The conflict escalated after Hamas killed 1,200 people and captured 240 hostages on October 7, prompting a forceful response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Palestinian health authorities report nearly 21,000 casualties from Israeli strikes, with thousands more feared buried under rubble. The majority of Gaza's 2.3 million population has been displaced from their homes, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
On Tuesday, Israel handed over the bodies of 80 unidentified Palestinians to Gaza authorities through the Kerem Shalom border crossing. The bodies, collected from the northern part of the Gaza Strip, were buried in a Rafah cemetery.
Amidst the conflict's widening impact, there are growing signs of its spread beyond the Gaza Strip. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia claimed responsibility for a missile attack on a container ship in the Red Sea and attempted a drone attack on Israel, linking these actions to Israel's assault on Gaza.
The conflict's repercussions were felt in Syria, where an Israeli airstrike killed a senior leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. On the Lebanon border, Hezbollah fired anti-tank missiles at a church, injuring nine Israeli soldiers and a civilian.
Israel acknowledges the multi-front nature of the conflict, with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stating, "We are in a multi-front war and are coming under attack from seven theatres." Gallant listed Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran as the active fronts, highlighting the complexity of the situation.
In Washington, Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan on the war and the return of hostages. The U.S. has urged Israel to scale down its operations, emphasizing targeted raids on Hamas leaders, while maintaining its position as a supporter of Israel in the region. The U.S. military also conducted retaliatory airstrikes on Kataib Hezbollah militants in Iraq following a drone attack on a U.S. base in Erbil.
