Israel starts Gaza ground assault after hundreds killed, no progress in talks

CAIRO/OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said on Sunday it had begun “extensive ground operations” in northern and southern Gaza, stepping up a new campaign in the enclave where Palestinian health authorities said Israeli airstrikes killed at least 130 people overnight.

Israel made its announcement after sources on both sides said there had been no progress in a new round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Qatar.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the talks included discussions on a truce and hostage deal as well as a proposal to end the war in return for the exile of Hamas and the demilitarisation of the enclave – terms Hamas has previously rejected.

The statement was in line with previous declarations from Israel, but the timing, as negotiators meet, offered some prospect of flexibility in Israel’s position. A senior Israeli official said there had been no progress in the talks so far.

Israel’s military claimed it had conducted a preliminary wave of strikes on more than 670 Hamas targets in Gaza over the past week to support “Gideon’s Chariots”, its new ground operation aimed at achieving “operational control” in parts of the enclave. It claimed it killed dozens of Hamas fighters.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said in the week to Sunday alone, at least 464 Palestinians were killed. The deaths of 130 or so Palestinians overnight are in addition to that figure.

Israel says open to deal that includes ‘ending the fighting’ in Gaza

“Complete families were wiped off the civil registration record by (overnight) Israeli bombardment,” Khalil Al-Deqran, Gaza health ministry spokesperson, told Reuters by phone.

The Israeli campaign has devastated Gaza, pushing nearly all its 2.3 million residents from their homes and killing more than 53,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities.

Israel has blocked the entry of medical, food and fuel supplies into Gaza since the start of March to try to pressure Hamas into freeing its hostages and has approved plans that could involve seizing the entire Gaza Strip and controlling aid.

International experts have warned of looming famine.

‘Hospitals overwhelmed’

Asked about the Qatar talks, a Hamas official told Reuters:

“Israel’s position remains unchanged, they want to release the prisoners (hostages) without a commitment to end the war.” Hamas was still proposing releasing all Israeli hostages in return for an end to the war, the pull-out of Israeli troops, an end to a blockade on aid for Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners, he said.

Israel airstrikes kill at least 100 in Gaza amid ceasefire talks

Israel’s declared goal in Gaza is the elimination of the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas.

Reports in Israeli and Arab media that Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar may have been killed could potentially complicate the Doha talks, which began on Saturday.

Hamas neither confirmed nor denied the reports. Israel’s Defence Ministry had no immediate comment.

Gaza medics said contrary to earlier reports Zakaria Al-Sinwar, a history lecturer at a Gaza university and the brother of Hamas’ current and former leaders, was alive but in critical condition.

He was placed in the morgue earlier with his three children, before medics realised he was still breathing.

“Hospitals are overwhelmed with a growing number of casualties, many are children,” health ministry spokesman Deqran said.

In Israel, Einav Zangauker, the mother of Hamas hostage Matan Zangauker, said Netanyahu was refusing to end the war in exchange for the hostages because of his political interests.

“The Israeli government still insists on only partial deals. They are deliberately tormenting us. Bring our children back already! All 58 of them,” Zangauker said in a social media post.

Tents ablaze

One of Israel’s overnight strikes hit a tent encampment housing displaced families in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, killing women and children, wounding dozens and setting tents ablaze, medics said.

Later on Sunday, Gaza’s health ministry said the Indonesian Hospital, one of the largest partially functioning medical facilities in north Gaza, had ceased work because of Israeli fire.

Israel’s military claimed its troops were targeting “terrorist infrastructure sites” in northern Gaza, including in the area adjacent to the Indonesian hospital.

Gaza’s healthcare system is barely operational and the blockade on aid has compounded its difficulties. Israel blames Hamas for stealing aid, which Hamas denies.

Staff at Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest, said they received 40 dead and dozens of wounded overnight and urged people to donate blood.

The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said 75% of its ambulances could not run because of fuel shortages. It warned that within 72 hours, all vehicles may stop.