Israel faced its most severe combat losses in over a month on Wednesday, after an ambush in Gaza City’s ruins and faced increased diplomatic isolation as civilian casualties grew, and the humanitarian crisis worsened. Intense fighting persisted in both northern and southern Gaza, following the United Nations’ call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Israel’s global influence is also at stake as U.S. President Joe Biden criticized Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of civilians, noting its negative impact on international support.
Meanwhile, an Israeli minister declared that the war would continue ‘with or without’ international support. Israeli warplanes conducted further bombings across Gaza, aggravating conditions for hundreds of thousands living in makeshift tents amid winter rain. The majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million population has been displaced so far.
Initially receiving global sympathy, Israel launched a campaign to eradicate the Hamas militant group controlling Gaza after an incursion on Oct. 7 which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, and the capture of 240 hostages.
However, since then, Israel has blockaded Gaza and caused extensive destruction. Gaza’s health ministry reported over 18,600 fatalities and 50,600 injuries due to Israeli strikes since Oct. 7, with many more potentially trapped in debris or inaccessible to ambulances.
In Rafah, southern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands sought refuge, a family killed in an overnight airstrike, including several young children, lay covered in blood-soaked shrouds in the rain. One child, the size of a newborn, was wrapped in a pink blanket.
Moreover, Israel’s military continued raids in Jenin, West Bank, for a third consecutive day, which has further complicated situations for Israel at the international level. It resulted in the deaths of 11 civilians and injuring 10. Amidst all of this, pro-Palestinian hackers breached the Israeli army’s website earlier today.
Recent reports suggest that IDF has launched an attack on Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon that has killed one terrorist. It comes a couple of days after the terrorist group attacked northern Israel with 12 lethal attacks in merely 24 hours. The tense situation underscores that peace is still a long way ahead and the crisis potentially can become protracted.