Israeli tanks push deep into central Gaza as war with Hamas continues

While Israeli forces continued to engage Hamas rebels in the central and southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian health officials said on Thursday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 22 civilians in the enclave.

The latest escalations occurs only hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was challenged by US President Joe Biden about the necessity of reaching an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Months of on-off talks on a ceasefire have circled the same issues, but Israel and Hamas have stuck firmly to their demands.

Eleven persons were killed in a house attack in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, while six more, including a local journalist, were killed in a house attack in the center Gaza Strip’s Al-Maghazi camp, according to medical personnel.

Separate strikes in the south claimed the lives of five more people.

According to the Israeli military, during the previous 24 hours, its forces had stepped up operations in Khan Younis in the south and Deir Al-Balah in the center of Gaza.

It said forces killed 50 militants in the area of Rafah, in the far south of the enclave, over the past day.

Hamas wants a deal that ends the war in Gaza and releases Israeli and foreign hostages in Gaza in return for the freedom of many Palestinians jailed by Israel.

Netanyahu says the war will only end once Hamas is defeated and that a ceasefire to allow the exchange of hostages and prisoners would be only a temporary pause while the militant group remains a threat.

Israeli tanks have also advanced to the west, in Al-Karara and Hamad areas of Khan Younis, pushing more families out of their shelters and tents, sometimes under heavy fire from tanks and drones, residents said.

Even in areas designated safe zones, there have been regular reports of casualties from Israeli strikes.