Netanyahu rejects calls for ceasefire in Gaza - Israel Hamas War
A flurry of Israeli airstrikes Tuesday on a refugee camp near Gaza City levelled apartment buildings, leaving craters where they once stood, as ground troops battled Hamas militants across northern Gaza and attacked underground compounds. Buoyed by the first successful rescue of a captive held by Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected calls for a cease-fire and again vowed to crush Hamas’ ability to govern Gaza or threaten Israel following its bloody 7 October rampage, which ignited the war. Several hundred thousand Palestinians remain in the northern part of Gaza, where Israeli troops and tanks reportedly have advanced on several sides of Gaza City, the sprawling urban center. In the Jabaliya refugee camp on Gaza City's outskirts, at least six airstrikes destroyed a number of apartment blocks in a residential area, the Hamas-run Interior Ministry said. It reported a large number of casualties but did not immediately provide details. Footage of the scene from Al-Jazeera TV showed at least four large craters where buildings once stood, amid a large swath of rubble surrounded by partially collapsed structures. Dozens of rescue workers and bystanders dug through the wreckage, searching for survivors beneath the pancaked buildings. A group of young men pulled two children from the upper floors of a damaged apartment block, cradling them as they climbed down. More than half the territory's 2.3 million Palestinians have fled their homes, with hundreds of thousands sheltering in packed UN-run schools-turned-shelters or in hospitals alongside thousands of wounded patients. Israeli strikes have hit closer to several northern hospitals in recent days, alarming medics. Hamas will release "certain number" of hostages in "next few days" As the families of hostages in Gaza campaign for the freedom of their loved ones, Hamas has claimed it will release a number of them in the coming days. "Some countries have asked, through intermediaries, to release some foreigners held in Gaza," Abu Obeida, a Hamas spokesman said on Tuesday. "We have received the requests of these countries. We have informed intermediaries that we will release a certain number of foreigners in the next few days, in line with our position which we had previously announced that we don't want or need to keep them or continue to detain them in Gaza." To date, Hamas has released five hostages but more than 200 people are still being held captive after being snatched in southern Israel during the militants' deadly rampage on 7 October. The families of those still in captivity have questions, such as why progress has been so slow, why some and not others are being released and whether Israel's punishing bombardment of the Gaza Strip puts their loved ones in danger. Hamas has said it would let the others go in return for thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, which has dismissed the offer. Israel battles Hamas around Gaza City Israeli troops battled Hamas militants and attacked underground sites on Tuesday, focusing on northern Gaza, where an estimated 800,000 Palestinians have fled. Following the first successful rescue of a Hamas prisoner, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for a ceasefire and vowed again to destroy Hamas's ability to rule Gaza or threaten Israel. More than half of the territory's 2.3 million Palestinians have fled their homes, with hundreds of thousands sheltering in overcrowded UN-run schools or hospitals alongside thousands of wounded. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, said ground operations in Gaza were focused on the north, including Gaza City, which he described as "Hamas's centre of gravity". "But we continue to strike in other parts of Gaza. We are going after their commanders, we are attacking their infrastructure, and whenever there is an important target associated with Hamas, we hit it," he said. The military said it had hit some 300 militant targets over the past day. Israeli strikes in recent days have come close to several hospitals in the north, alarming doctors. READ MORE : https://www.euronews.com/2023/10/31/i... Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/euronews?su... Watch our LIVE here: / euronews Subscribe to our thematic channels: NoComment: https://www.youtube.com/c/nocommenttv... Euronews Green: http://bit.ly/2sMsaDB Euronews Next: https://www.youtube.com/c/EuronewsNex... Euronews Travel: https://www.youtube.com/c/EuronewsTra... Euronews is available on YouTube in 12 languages: / euronewsnetwork #World
