Israeli troops ‘at gates of Gaza City’, Hamas says 195 dead in refugee camp strike

Israeli troops on Wednesday (local time) continued their offensive against Hamas in Gaza as they moved deeper into the Palestinian enclave’s main city, The Times of Israel reported.

On the other hand, Hamas, the group which controls Gaza, said 195 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes on the territory’s largest refugee camp.

The Israeli military said it broke through Hamas’s “front lines of defence” and announced they had killed a commander of the terror group’s anti-tank missile array.

The Hamas-run office in Gaza has claimed that at least 195 Palestinians were killed after Israel bombed Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp on Tuesday and Wednesday, news agency Reuters reported.

Here are the top developments of the Israel-Hamas war, which has now entered the 27th day:

Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the ground operation in Gaza was progressing as planned.

“With advance planning, precise intelligence, and joint attacks (from the land, air and sea), our forces broke through Hamas’s front lines of defence in the north of the Gaza Strip,” Hagari was quoted by Times of Israel as saying.

IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi acknowledged that the war against Hamas “was a heavy and painful price”, but asserted that it was “necessary”. He reiterated that it would be a “long war” and Israeli troops said it was in the advanced stages of fighting.

“We are in the midst of a war. It will be a long war and we will fight it until the end. We are being proactive and fighting the enemy in their territory, striking them in the very places where they worked on their plans and in the very areas the evil terrorists came from,” Halevi said.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, claimed that they have launched several drones toward Israel. The Houthis, who have joined the Israel-Hamas war, said they would carry out their military operations “in support” of the Palestinian people, The Times of Israel reported.

The IDF has not confirmed any such drone attacks by Houthis.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has claimed that a second Israeli strike in Jabalia killed and injured “dozens”. Jabalia is the place where the refugee camp was bombed by Israel, which said the operation had killed several Hamas terrorists.

The casualty figures could not be confirmed nor were the terror group’s claims verified.

Over 50 Palestinians and 150 others were injured in massive bombings by Israel on the refugee camp on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden thanked the Egypt and Qatar governments for helping Palestinians and foreign nationals, including US citizens, to escape Gaza and enter Egypt via Rafah crossing.

“I personally spent a lot of time speaking with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel and President Sissi of Egypt and others, to make sure that we could open this access for people to get out,” Biden said during a visit to Northfield, Minnesota.

“I want to thank our partners, in particular, Qatar, who worked so closely with us to support negotiations to facilitate the departure of these citizens,” he said.

The IDF said it eliminated Muhammad A’sar, the head of Hamas’ anti-tank missile unit in Gaza. Sharing an update on its X handle, the Israeli military said A’sar was responsible for all of Hamas’ anti-tank missile units throughout the Palestinian enclave.

“Under his command, numerous anti-tank missile attacks were carried out against civilians and IDF soldiers,” the tweet said.

The commander of the IDF’s 162nd Division, Brigadier General Itzik Cohen, said ground forces were moving deeper into the Gaza Strip and said they were “at the gates of Gaza City”.

He said “Hamas chose this war and not Israel” and said the operation was on to “finish off” the terror group.

With a humanitarian crisis looming in Gaza, 61 aid trucks crossed into the Palestinian enclave via the Rafah crossing with Egypt, The Times of Israel reported.

The trucks contained food, water and medical supplies.

This came as Egypt on Wednesday allowed Palestinians from Gaza and some foreign nationals to move out of the besieged territory, the first time since the war began on October 7.

Since the war began on October 7, more than 8,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and the West Bank while over 1,400 people have lost their lives in Israel.