Israeli leaders vowed on Sunday to continue their war against Hamas, despite Israel’s growing casualties, including the deaths of 15 soldiers in the Gaza Strip since Friday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured the Israeli people that despite the high cost, their fight would persist. Nearly all of the soldier deaths occurred on Friday and Saturday.
Netanyahu stated that Israel’s campaign in Gaza is being intensified, and that approximately 200 targets were hit within 24 hours. There has been intensified fighting in the north, where it is reported that Israel now has control of Hamas strongholds. Additionally, there have been widespread airstrikes in Al Maghazi, a neighborhood in central Gaza. The increasing violence from the Israeli campaign has led to a humanitarian crisis affecting the 2.2 million people of Gaza. The United States, Israel’s closest ally, has been urging Israel to shift to more targeted tactics to minimize the loss of civilian lives. Netanyahu, while acknowledging the high price Israel is paying, vowed that Israel will continue to fight until “absolute victory — however long that takes.” Israel has been under pressure from the U.S to implement humanitarian pauses in the fighting, to allow aid to reach the population of Gaza, which has occurred to a limited extent.
The Israeli leader also insisted that Israel’s wartime decisions are sovereign and not dictated by external pressure. Despite the fact that the majority of Gaza’s civilian population has been displaced from their homes, due to the Israeli assault, Israel has indicated that it is preparing to shift to a less intense phase in the campaign. Palestinian deaths in Gaza have been reported to be around 20,000 by the health authorities. The death and destruction in Gaza and the region’s growing casualty rate have had a profound impact in Israel, where military service is mandatory for most Jewish 18-year-olds.
For Mr. Netanyahu and his administration, the commitment to continue to fight until a concrete victory is achieved is a priority. For the people of Gaza, the situation is increasingly dire, with many families living in unimaginable conditions. As violence persists, the people are continuing to suffer from the effects of the war. The content originally appeared in The New York Times and was reported by Yara Bayoumy, Samar Hazboun, Nadav Gavrielov, Katie Rogers, Rachel Abrams, Ameera Harouda, and Andrés R. Martínez.
