Breaking News: dramatic developments in the Gaza conflict

Israel‘s been in touch with the families of some Israelis kidnapped by Hamas.

Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari mentioned, “We’ve reached out to 60 families of those abducted.” They’ve even set up a hotline for relatives to stay updated and share their stories. Hagari also mentioned that they’re ramping up attacks on the Gaza Strip with a focus on taking out Hamas leaders. That recent attack on Saturday wasn’t just a hit-and-run; they aimed to grab territory. Thanks to the Israeli air force, they’ve regained control.

So far, we’re hearing about 1,000 casualties among terrorists, with hundreds more hanging around the separation barrier. Meanwhile, rockets are coming back from Gaza, targeting a building in Sderot, but no one’s hurt.

According to Palestinian sources, Israel has pounded the home of Mohammed Deif, who’s said to be the big shot behind Hamas’s attacks on Israel. Sadly, this hit killed his brother and other family members, including his son. We’re not sure about Deif’s status, but other family members are apparently stuck in the mess in southern Gaza.

Gaza’s going dark around 14:00 local time because the power plant’s running out of fuel, says Jalal Ismail from the Gaza Energy Authority. The Palestinian Energy Authority president, Thafer Melhem, thought there’d be 10-12 more hours of electricity earlier.

Gaza: night attacks

During the night, a devastating Israeli airstrike in Gaza claimed the lives of at least 30 individuals. As a result, the grim death toll has now risen to 950, while approximately 5,000 people find themselves injured and struggling in the wake of the relentless conflict. Israeli forces unleashed their might on a staggering total of 450 locations associated with Hamas and other Palestinian groups. In the town of Beit Hanoun, specifically, the barrage struck 80 different sites, which included the destruction of two banks utilized by Hamas, a tunnel network, and two vital operational centers. The unyielding cycle of violence and its profound impact on the region continue to cast a dark shadow over the people of Gaza.

The USA

Now, over in the U.S., the Biden crew’s teaming up with other countries to make a path for folks in Gaza and American citizens who want out of this mess, according to Nbc. This escape route would be down south of Gaza and lead to Egypt.

Massive Israeli troop deployment along the border

Massive Israeli troop squad by the border is happening. The Israeli army says they’ve got about 300,000 soldiers close to the Gaza Strip for this tussle with Hamas. Jonathan Conricus, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson, says, “What we’re doing in these parts near the Gaza Strip is sending in our regular grunts, our tank crews, our big gun guys, and plenty of other reserve soldiers – 300,000 in total. Our goal is to make sure Hamas can’t cause any trouble or harm Israeli civilians when this is all over.”