Israel-Hamas gun battle intensifies
Israeli troops fought Hamas members across Gaza yesterday, including in the southern city of Rafah that had been a refuge for civilians, in an upsurge of the more than seven-month offensive that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.
Antagonism between Israel and the United Nations worsened as the Israeli army sought an explanation for footage showing armed men next to UN Palestinian relief agency vehicles. Separately, the UN said it was investigating an unidentified strike that killed an international staff member in Gaza earlier this week.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's army has in recent days pressed into the east of Rafah in pursuit of what it says are four Hamas battalions, despite warnings from its ally the US and others to hold off to avoid mass civilian casualties.
Since the October 7 offensive, Israel has killed at least 35,233 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials yesterday, with 60 dead in the last 24 hours. In the northern Jabalia refugee camp, residents said Israeli tanks had destroyed clusters of homes but were facing heavy resistance. "They are bombing houses on top of their inhabitants. We know of many families being trapped inside their homes," said Abu Jehad.
Hamas ally Islamic Jihad said it killed some foot soldiers in Jabalia, while Israel's military said it had eliminated many Hamas members in an area it had claimed to have cleared months ago.
Israeli tanks have been massed around the eastern edges of Rafah and in recent days have been probing into built up areas of the city, where hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the fighting have been sheltering from fighting elsewhere.
In the north, Israeli military said it had concluded an operation in the Zeitoun area, killing "dozens of terrorists". Residents said tanks had pulled back from the area, with dozens of homes destroyed or damaged, while Palestinian medics said dozens of civilians had been killed and wounded.
Global watchdog The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said at least 105 media workers were among the dead in Gaza.
As the fighting intensifies, ceasefire talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt are at a stalemate, with Hamas demanding a permanent end to Israeli attacks and Netanyahu's government saying it will not stop until the group is annihilated.
Meanwhile, a group of Harvard students said on Tuesday they would peacefully end a pro-Palestinian protest encampment after the university agreed to discuss its endowment with the protesters and begin reconsidering involuntary leaves it imposed on some.
Swiss police moved in early yesterday to remove dozens of pro-Palestinian student protesters holed up in the University of Bern, reports AFP.
In Australia, students have protested in Melbourne calling for universities to cut ties with companies linked to Israel.
Student demonstrations have gathered pace across the world in recent weeks with protesters demanding an end to the Gaza bloodshed and urging that ties be cut with Israel.
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