The Israeli military sounded sirens in Tel Aviv on Sunday, warning of potential incoming rockets, though the reason for the sirens was not disclosed. Rockets have continued to be fired at communities around Gaza, despite the war lasting more than seven months. No immediate reports of casualties or damage emerged from the latest barrage. The conflict escalated after a Hamas militant attack on southern Israel on October 7, resulting in approximately 250 individuals being abducted to the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials report that 128 hostages remain in Palestinian territory, with at least 36 confirmed dead.
What has happened in the Hamas and Israel war?
The violence has resulted in significant casualties. An AFP tally based on official Israeli figures estimates over 1,170 deaths, mainly civilians, from the Hamas attack. In response, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has led to at least 35,984 deaths, predominantly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory.
Aid trucks entered Gaza from southern Israel on Sunday through a new agreement to bypass the Rafah crossing with Egypt after Israeli forces seized the Palestinian side earlier this month. However, it is unclear if humanitarian groups can access the aid due to ongoing fighting in the area.
Egypt refuses to reopen its side of the Rafah crossing until the Palestinians regain control of the Gaza side. After discussions between U.S. President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Egypt temporarily agreed to divert traffic through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing, Gaza’s main cargo terminal.
Despite this arrangement, the Kerem Shalom crossing has been largely inaccessible due to fighting in the nearby city of Rafah. Israel claims it has allowed hundreds of trucks to enter, but United Nations agencies state it is usually too dangerous to retrieve the aid on the other side.
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