Israel expands its operations in Gaza, tension escalates in the region

The Israeli army continues to expand its operations in the Gaza Strip on Monday, where the number of Palestinian civilian casualties is increasing amid new indications of the conflict spreading in the region.  

This comes as incidents were recorded over the past weekend in Iraq and the Red Sea. 

The army's spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, stated on Sunday evening that "the Israeli army continues to expand its ground operation against Hamas throughout the Gaza Strip," adding, "the army is operating wherever there are Hamas strongholds." 

Israeli soldiers have been conducting a ground attack since October 27th in northern Gaza, where they have taken control of several areas. Since the resumption of fighting on Friday after a week-long ceasefire with Hamas, the army has primarily focused on airstrikes. 

A raid on the entrance of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza resulted in several casualties, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. In a statement, the Hamas government accused the Israeli army of committing a "serious violation" of international humanitarian law. 

The Israeli army did not immediately confirm whether the hospital's surroundings were targeted in response to an inquiry from Agence France-Presse. Israel accuses Hamas of establishing centers in hospitals or beneath them and using civilians as human shields. 

Hamas' Ministry of Health announced on Sunday an increase in the death toll in the Gaza Strip to 15,523, with 70 percent of them being women and children, since the start of the destructive bombing campaign by Israel on October 7th in response to an unprecedented attack by Hamas within its territory, vowing to "eliminate" the movement. 

As the death toll continues to rise since the end of the truce, the ministry's spokesperson, Ashraf al-Qudra, said that in the past few hours, only 316 dead and 664 wounded were able to be recovered from under the rubble and transported to hospitals, but many others remain under the debris. 

On the Israeli side, 1,200 people, mostly civilians who died mostly on the first day of the attack, were reported killed by Israeli authorities. Hamas fighters also held 240 people hostages, taking them to the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli authorities. 

The army reported on Monday the death of five soldiers, three of them on Sunday, since the truce ended on Friday. 

AFP