Israel intensifies fighting in the Gaza Strip – the nightly update without photos Migrant boat capsized off the coast of Sicily – at least five dead

The Israeli army is increasingly attacking the Islamist-Palestinian organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip, both on the ground and from the air. “We are entering the next phase of our war against Hamas in Gaza. From the air, on land and at sea,” Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a video published by the army on the X platform on Sunday evening. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on both sides to de-escalate immediately, given the catastrophic situation for the population in Gaza. The expansion of Israeli ground operations also complicates Qatar’s mediation efforts to free the more than 220 hostages, said the foreign minister of the Gulf emirate, which has close ties to Hamas.

Qatar: Escalation makes efforts to find hostages ‘more difficult’

The massive airstrikes in recent weeks have dealt Hamas a “serious blow,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening. “However, we are only at the beginning,” he emphasized. The war would be ‘difficult and long’. The aim is to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities, end its rule over the Gaza Strip and retrieve the hostages.

Qatar and Egypt are acting as mediators in efforts to secure the release of hostages kidnapped by Palestinian extremists. Before the expansion of ground operations in the Israeli-locked coastal area, there were reports of perceived progress in these efforts. However, Majed Al-Ansari, spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, told US news channel CNN on Saturday that the escalation on the ground now made the situation “significantly more difficult”.

It is not clear exactly how many hostages are being held captive in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said the families of 230 abductees had been notified on Saturday. According to the military, this does not include the four hostages already released by Hamas. During a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, representatives of the family members demanded that all Palestinian prisoners be released from Israeli prisons in exchange for the hostages kidnapped from Israel.

The Red Cross calls for immediate de-escalation

Meanwhile, the Israeli army has once again urged those remaining in the northern Gaza Strip to seek safety in the south of the densely populated coastal area. It was said that the window of opportunity was closing quickly. The military also announced on Saturday that it would allow an increase in humanitarian aid deliveries to the Palestinian population. “We are expanding humanitarian assistance to Gaza Strip residents who have gone to the area south of Wadi Gaza,” army spokesman Hagari said.

Aid organizations complained that the failure of almost all telephone and internet connections made aid even more difficult. There is panic and chaos. “I am shocked by the unbearable scale of human suffering and call on the parties to the conflict to de-escalate now,” ICRC head Mirjana Spoljaric wrote about X. Adequate humanitarian assistance is currently not possible. “This is a catastrophic failure that the world cannot accept.”

Saudi Arabia condemns “any ground offensives” by Israel

Saudi Arabia condemned “any ground offensives” by Israel in the Gaza Strip. The Islamic kingdom called it a “flagrant violation and an unjustified violation of international law.” Saudi Arabia is a major protective power for the Palestinians and has been hostile to Israel for decades. Before the start of the Gaza war, there were many signs pointing to a possible normalization of relations with US mediation. As the conflict has escalated again, Riyadh has halted talks on possible normalization.

As the news portal ‘Axios’ reported on Sunday evening, citing unnamed sources, Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman is expected to travel to Washington on Monday for talks with senior US government officials.

More rocket attacks from Gaza on Israeli cities

Palestinian extremists fired rockets from the Gaza Strip at Israeli cities again on Saturday. Warning sirens sounded several times in Israeli towns in the border area. There were also renewed rocket alerts in the greater Tel Aviv area, as well as in the coastal city of Ashkelon. There were also renewed clashes at Israel’s border with Lebanon. The Israeli military said several anti-tank rockets and mortar shells were fired into Israel from Lebanon. They returned fire and attacked Hezbollah militia positions. Like Hamas, Hezbollah is allied with Israel’s arch-enemy Iran.

What will be important on Sunday?

Despite the expansion of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, efforts to release the hostages kidnapped by Hamas continue. Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly catastrophic. (sda/dpa)