
As unrelenting bombardment continues to rock Gaza, an Israeli Army spokesperson has warned that the war against Hamas which is nearing its three-month mark will continue throughout 2024.
Even as international calls for ceasefire continue, Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari on Monday, said the army was preparing for "prolonged fighting" that is expected to last "throughout this year".
Hagari also said the army was "adapting the planning of the force deployment in Gaza". This, as per AFP, is also true forreserve soldiers, who, as the fighting continues, "will still be required," said the army spokesperson.
As per AFP, he later said that some of the 300,000 Israeli reserve soldiers will be "gradually" released.
On Monday night and into Tuesday morning,eyewitnesses reported Israeli missiles flying towards Rafah city and shelling around a major refugee camp, Jabalia.
Talking to AFP, a Gaza resident identified as Sami Hamouda said, "It's the worst year of our lives."
On Monday, as per the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry, 15 dead bodies from the same family were recovered from the rubble of a bombed house in Jabalia in northern Gaza.
"Every new day is like the previous one: bombings, death and mass killings," added Hamouda.
Across the length of the territory in Gaza, heavy artillery fire and air strikes were reported.
Meanwhilein Israel, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant assured that the residents of some towns and villages near the Gaza border "will soon be able to return home" — many of whomwere evacuated since Hamas' initial attacks.
On October 7, Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing around 1,140 people, as per Israel's tally. The nation has vowed to destroy Hamas, and its retaliatory attack has claimed more than 22,000 lives, as per the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled Gaza —most of them women and children.
(With inputs from agencies)
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