Israel continues Gaza strikes after Biden warnings

The Israeli Defense Forces began launching aerial strikes early Thursday morning against Hamas targets identified by military intelligence in the Zeitoun district in central Gaza. About 25 terrorist military structures were eliminated, including tunnels, observation posts, and sniper posts, the IDF said in a social media statement. Troops were securing the area, the IDF added. An IDF operation with the Israel Securities Authority eliminated Hamas naval commander Ahmed Ali, the IDF said Wednesday. Ali was responsible for several attacks on Israeli territory and against IDF ground troops operating in Gaza during the war, the IDF said. Hamas continues to fire from populated areas toward the Kerem Shalom crossing, deliberately endangering civilians, the IDF posted. 

How are civilians faring amid the fighting? The IDF reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing to Egypt and allowed aid trucks to arrive, according to a statement. Israel also expanded its humanitarian area on the coast for civilians moving out of eastern Rafah after the IDF warned of the invasion. The toll on evacuating families is unbearable, and there is nowhere safe for them to go, posted the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. The group shared concern that fuel shortages could stop power from hospital generators. If the Israeli military operation continues, the last untouched city in Gaza will be destroyed, UNRWA Planning Director Sam Rose said.

The United States paused a shipment of bombs for Israel over concern about the escalation of military operations in Gaza, U.S. President Joe Biden told CNN. Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of such bombs, he said. If Israel goes into the population centers of Rafah, the United States will not supply the weapons historically used to deal with city invasion, Biden added. 

Dig deeper: Read Josh Schumacher’s report in The Sift on the recent political background behind the invasion.