Israel pounded targets in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday and ordered more neighborhoods designated for attack to evacuate, driving up the death toll as the United States and others urged it to do more to protect civilians a day after a truce collapsed.
Israeli officials informed CBS News that one reason for the resumption of fighting was a terrorist attack in Jerusalem that resulted in the death of four individuals on Thursday.
The possibility of additional cease-fires in Gaza seemed dim, with Israel recalling its negotiators, and Hamas’ deputy leader stating that any further exchange of Gaza-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel would only occur as part of ending the war.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized in a Saturday night address that the war would persist until all its goals were achieved, emphasizing the necessity of a ground operation.
Since the fighting resumed on Friday morning, approximately 200 Palestinians have been reported killed, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. The U.S. has urged Israel, its ally, to take all possible measures to safeguard civilians. Israel pounded targets
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, concluding his third Middle East tour since the war’s commencement, remarked on the importance of protecting civilians, stating, “This is going to be very important going forward. It’s something we’re going to be looking at very closely.”
Separately, the health ministry said the overall death toll in Gaza since the Oct. 7 start of the war had surpassed 15,200, a sharp jump from the previous count of more than 13,300 on Nov. 20. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths, but it said 70% of the dead were women and children. It said more than 40,000 people had been wounded since the war began.
Israel says it is targeting Hamas operatives and blames civilian casualties on the militants, accusing them of operating in residential neighborhoods. Israel says 77 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive in northern Gaza. It claims to have killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence.
Many of Israel’s attacks Saturday were focused on the Khan Younis area in southern Gaza, where the military said it had struck more than 50 Hamas targets with airstrikes, tank fire and its navy. Israeli forces said that they have struck more than 400 targets overall since fighting resumed in Gaza on Friday.