Anticipating prolonged conflict in Gaza City, the Israeli military prepares for extended engagements.
In the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian organization Hamas, the situation in the Gaza Strip remains dire. As of now, there are still 48 hostages in the region, with 20 of them reportedly alive according to Israel news. The families of these hostages have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of sacrificing their relatives for political considerations.
The Israel news reports that the Israeli ground offensive, led by thousands of soldiers, was approved by the security cabinet in August and could potentially last for months, according to army spokesperson Effie Defrin. In response to the offensive, the Europe has announced concrete proposals for sanctions against Israel, including suspending parts of the EU-Israel trade agreement and sanctioning Israeli ministers and Hamas members.
However, no individual Europe member country has publicly announced their own specific sanction proposals. The EU Commission plans to present further concrete proposals for sanctions against Israel today in response to its actions in Gaza. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has called on the German government to support these plans or propose alternative leverage to bring about a change of course in the Israeli government.
Meanwhile, thousands of people have been protesting again in front of Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem. Many Palestinians cannot afford to flee the city due to high costs of transportation and a large portion of the population living in poverty. In an effort to evacuate civilians, the Israel has announced the temporary opening of an evacuation route southwards in Gaza, valid for 48 hours.
However, some demonstrators, including relatives of hostages, wanted to spend another night in tents there but were reportedly carried away by the police. The northern city of Gaza is being systematically destroyed by Israel, with aid organizations reporting catastrophic conditions in the humanitarian zone in the south of Gaza.
Aid organizations are calling on the international community to take urgent action following Israel's ground offensive in Gaza. "Save the Children" and other aid organizations have reported meeting families who eat animal feed to survive and boil leaves to feed their children in Gaza. The Israel estimates that up to 3,000 combat-ready Hamas members are present in the coastal city of Gaza.
In a bid to protect the hostages, Netanyahu has warned Hamas not to harm them. However, a UN-appointed commission of human rights lawyers has concluded that Israel's conduct of the war against Hamas aims to destroy the Palestinians, a claim that Israel has condemned as scandalous. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation in Gaza as "appalling" and "morally, politically, and legally intolerable."
The Europe is deeply divided in its handling of the Jewish state, with some countries advocating for stronger action against Israel while others call for diplomacy and dialogue. Despite the divisions, the calls for action and sanctions against Israel continue to grow, as the world watches the situation in Gaza unfold.
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