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Israel war 2023
Published January 3, 2024, 6:23 PM ET
Israel continued its “intense fighting” in Gaza on Wednesday, even as fears grew that the war with Hamas could expand after a senior leader of the terror group was killed in Lebanon a day earlier.
Saleh Al-Arouri, the deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, was killed in an airstrike in Beirut on Tuesday. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
His death sparked fears of the conflict spreading beyond the two countries as Israel continued its offensive in the area on Wednesday, saying there had been “intense fighting” with militants in Khan Younis to drive Hamas out of the area .
Israeli aircraft ordered civilians to leave seven districts as residents and Palestinian media claimed Israeli forces bombed Al-Nuseirat refugee camp overnight, destroying several buildings.
“You are in a dangerous combat zone. The IDF is heavily deployed in your area. For your safety, the IDF calls on you to evacuate this area immediately,” the leaflets read.
Israel has also stepped up its attack on the Al-Bureij refugee camp by sending planes and tanks. Hamas said it hit five tanks and troop carriers.
Saleh Al-Arouri, the deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, was killed in an airstrike in Beirut on Tuesday. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied whether its forces killed the senior leader. HAMAS MEDIA OFFICE/AFP via Getty Images Israel continued its offensive in Gaza on Wednesday, saying there had been “intense fighting” with militants in Khan Younis as it continued its efforts to expel Hamas from the area. AFP via Getty Images
The terror group said it killed 10 Israeli soldiers in the battle. Israel said it had lost 177 soldiers since the war began.
In addition, Israel carried out an airstrike on the Al-Maghazi refugee camp, killing four people, according to health authorities. Another three were killed in an airstrike on a house in Rafah, Gaza.
Israel has said it will try to avoid the deaths of civilians after world leaders expressed concern over the number of Palestinian casualties.
More than 22,000 Palestinians have died as of Wednesday, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and military personnel.
Despite its strong post-New Year offensive, Israel has neither confirmed nor denied whether its forces killed Arouri, but spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the Israel Defense Forces were “at a very high state of readiness in all areas.”
As the war rages on, it has spread to the occupied West Bank, raising tensions with Hezbollah forces on the Lebanese-Israeli border and affecting shipping routes on the Red Sea. MOHAMED AZAKIR
“We are well prepared for any scenario. The most important thing we can say tonight is that we are focused on fighting Hamas and will continue to do so.” he wrote on X-Tuesday.
Arouri, 57, who was living in Beirut, was the terrorist group's first senior political leader to be killed since the war began on October 7.
He is considered one of the founding members of the group's military wing.
According to the group, Hamas military leaders Samir Findi Abu Amer and Azzam Al-Aqraa Abu Ammar were also killed in the attack.
“We tell the criminal occupation (Israel) that the battle between us is open,” Hamas Politburo member Hossam Badran said in a eulogy for the fallen leader.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the airstrike, saying the “blast was a new Israeli crime.” He also accused the Jewish state of attacking Lebanon to drag it into the war.
Israel has vowed to continue the fight until Hamas is destroyed, but has not revealed its post-war plans in Gaza. Portal
“We call on the affected countries to put pressure on Israel to stop its attacks. We also warn that Israel's political echelon is resorting to exporting its failures in Gaza to the south [Lebanese] border,” the leader said, according to CNN.
According to CNN, the attack is Israel's largest attack on Beirut, the country's capital, since 2006, when the two were at war.
As the conflict continues, it has spread to the occupied West Bank, causing tensions with Hezbollah forces on the Lebanese-Israeli border and affecting shipping routes on the Red Sea.
Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had previously warned Israel that carrying out attacks on Lebanese soil would result in a “severe reaction.”
Hezbollah is an ally of Hamas and since October its forces have engaged in frequent firefights with Israel along the country's southern border.
Those involved in a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon said any escalation “could have devastating consequences for people on both sides of the border.”
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has stressed the need to prevent the conflict from spreading in the region, telling a US Congress delegate that his priority is a ceasefire in Gaza.
Hamas also still holds more than 100 Israelis hostage and said it would not release them until a permanent ceasefire was agreed.
The terrorist organization has threatened to kill the remaining hostages unless more aid is brought to Gaza and a prisoner exchange is not carried out.
Israel has vowed to continue the fight until Hamas is destroyed, but has not announced its postwar plans for Gaza.
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