Intense Clashes Persist in Southern Gaza; Hamas Forces Near Collapse in Northern Gaza
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Intense fighting continued in and around Khan Younis, a key Hamas stronghold in Southern Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) disclosed that an additional seven soldiers had been killed, bringing the total IDF fatalities in the Gaza offensive to 104.
Residents of Gaza reported intense combat in the vicinity of Khan Younis during the night. This area has become a significant battleground in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, notably since the IDF extended its ground operations to the southern part of the Gaza Strip in early December.
Five soldiers from the 5th Brigade’s 8111st Battalion were killed during a confrontation with a terrorist cell near a school in the Khan Younis area following the detonation of an explosive device near their unit, according to the IDF.
For the first time since the Second Lebanon War in 2006, the IDF conducted an airdrop, delivering approximately seven tons of equipment to support the operations of the 98th Division’s Commando Brigade troops in the Khan Younis region in southern Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has reported that in the Northern Gaza Strip, particularly in Jabaliya and Shejaiya, the battalions of Hamas are nearing a state of collapse.
“We have encircled the last strongholds of Hamas in Jabaliya and Shejaiya, the battalions that were considered invincible, that prepared for years to fight us, are on the verge of being dismantled,” Gallant stated at a press conference.
Gallant noted that the surrender of hundreds of Hamas terrorists in recent days is indicative of the current state of the organization.
On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Israel holds the decision-making power regarding the conclusion of its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. This remark comes amidst reports suggesting that the United States had been pressuring Israel to conclude its operations by the end of the year. Blinken emphasized that the decision on when to end the conflict lies with Israel, not the U.S.
“The war will end when its goals are achieved. I take into consideration everything the US asks and says, and take seriously, along with all the members of the cabinet, what America is doing,” Gallant said. “We will find a way to help the Americans help us,” he added.
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