Israel Launches New Strikes As Gaza Conflict Enters Week 2
Israeli warplanes pounded targets in Gaza City early Monday as the escalating conflict between Hamas and Israel entered its second week. International pressure is mounting for a ceasefire, as humanitarian officials raise the alarm about the toll of the conflict on civilians.
Palestinian officials say nearly 200 people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes in recent days, including many children. The death toll on the Israeli side stands at eight, including one child.
"Last night, the attacks from the Israeli warplanes were heavier and lasted longer than ever before," Leni Stenseth of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency told NPR. The last week of bombardment has damaged infrastructure in Gaza, she added, including hospitals and schools.
Meanwhile, Hamas continued launching rockets at Israel, hitting a synagogue late Sunday evening. International efforts to quell some of the worst violence in years between Israel and Hamas have not led to any indication of a ceasefire.
"This senseless cycle of bloodshed, terror and destruction must stop immediately," UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in remarks on Sunday.
Israel launched dozens of airstrikes in Gaza shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that attacks against Hamas targets would continue at full force. According to the Israel Defense Forces, Israel destroyed more than nine miles of a tunnel system used by Hamas overnight.
"We'll do whatever it takes to restore order and quiet and the security of our people and deterrence," Netanyahu said Sunday on CBS. "We're trying to degrade Hamas's terrorist abilities and to degrade their will to do this again. So it'll take some time. I hope it won't take long, but it's not immediate."
Local media reports say a main road and an electrical line servicing the only power plant to much of Gaza City were hit.
This comes after a devastating offensive on Gaza over the weekend, which flattened buildings and killed more than three dozen Palestinians, including many women and children. Israel said one of its attacks targeted underground Hamas militant infrastructure, leading the foundations of the homes above it to collapse.
"The ongoing military operation causes immense distress on a population that has nowhere to flee," Stenseth told NPR. Israel imposes a blockade from air, land and sea on Gaza, which has a population of about two million people. Egypt also keeps its border with Gaza largely closed.
Over the weekend, Israeli warplanes also destroyed a building housing offices for media organizations including The Associated Press and Al Jazeera. Israel said Hamas military intelligence infrastructure was in the building, without publishing proof, and AP has demanded an independent investigation.
The IDF said Monday that it killed a leader of the Islamic Jihad group, Hussam Abu Harbid, who it says was responsible for launching rockets into Israel. [Copyright 2021 NPR]
