Israel said it is entering the “next phase” of the six-week-old war against Hamas as the focus shifts to the south of the besieged Gaza Strip. Separately, Israeli paratroopers raided so-called houses of high-ranking Hamas officials in the north of the Gaza Strip.
Israel-Hamas war: Israeli flags fly over destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip. (AFP) {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}}
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not say whether he believes senior Hamas leaders are now hiding near the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis. “We will reach them,” he told reporters, describing the leadership as “dead men on the way.” About 2,500 internally displaced people, as well as patients and staff, left Al-Shifa hospital in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday, which was the focus of Israel’s ground offensive last week, a United Nations agency said.
The Israeli army said it launched attacks early Sunday against both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah on the northern border in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Hamas – designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union – said it had lost contact with groups responsible for guarding some of the hostages seized on October 7.
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At least 30 premature babies were evacuated from Gaza’s main hospital on Sunday and are being transferred to facilities in Egypt, the Associated Press reported, citing the territory’s health ministry.
A World Health Organization team that visited Al-Shifa Hospital on Saturday said 32 babies were among the scores of patients stranded at the hospital, where Israeli forces have been deployed since last week.
Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said there had been “good progress” in recent days toward reaching an agreement between Israel and Hamas to release hostages.
Al Thani, who is also foreign minister, said he was “more confident” of completing a deal as remaining challenges were “practical and logistical.” He was speaking at a joint press conference with European Union Foreign Minister Josep Borrell.
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