MOSCOW, January 10 The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on the Telegram channel that it struck approximately 150 targets of the Palestinian Hamas movement over the past 24 hours as part of the continuation of operations in the Gaza Strip.
«IDF troops struck approximately 150 terrorist targets over the past 24 hours,» the army said.
According to the report, in the Al-Maghazi area in the center of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes, in addition, “more than 15 underground tunnel shafts” were discovered, and a missile production device was destroyed.
The army reported that «dozens» of Hamas fighters were killed in battles in the town of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
On October 7, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented-scale rocket attack from the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, announced by the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement. After this, the organization’s fighters entered the border areas in southern Israel, where they opened fire on both military and civilians, and also took more than 200 hostages. In Israel, according to the latest data from the authorities, about 1.2 thousand people were killed, this number includes civilians, soldiers, foreign citizens and workers, and it was also reported that more than 5 thousand were injured.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Within a few days, the Israeli military took control of all populated areas near the border with Gaza and began carrying out air strikes on targets, including civilians, in the strip. Israel also announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip: the supply of water, food, electricity, medicine, and fuel was stopped.
The ground phase of the Israeli operation in the enclave began at the end of October. Gaza City was surrounded by Israeli ground forces, and the enclave was effectively divided into southern and northern parts.
According to the Ministry of Health of the Palestinian enclave, the death toll in Gaza since October 7 has exceeded 23 thousand, and almost 59 thousand were injured.
Hamas claimed that there were about 200-250 hostages in the Gaza Strip. After the end of the truce, Israeli authorities announced that 126 Israelis and 11 foreigners remained hostage with Hamas, and 110 abducted were released.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the parties to stop hostilities. According to the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the settlement of the Middle East crisis is possible only on the basis of a “two-state” formula approved by the UN Security Council, which provides for the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, related to the territorial interests of the parties, has been a source of tension and clashes in the region for many decades. A UN decision with the active role of the USSR in 1947 determined the creation of two states — Israel and Palestine, but only the Israeli one was created.