Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The armed group that also rules the Palestinian Gaza Strip, Hamas, has opened its voice about Israel, which is said to have surrounded Gaza. The latest statement was made by Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades.
In its release, Hamas threatened Israel that the siege would be a historical curse for the Jewish State. The group said that if Israel continued to press, they would take steps that would have disastrous consequences for West Jerusalem, which Zionists claim is the capital of Israel.
“There will be many casualties among Israeli troops. More Israeli soldiers will return in black bags,” said the militant group’s spokesman, Abu Obeida, as quoted by AFPFriday (3/11/2023).
So far, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed the deaths of 19 of its soldiers in ongoing operations. Earlier on Thursday, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said Israeli forces had completely surrounded Gaza City in the northern part of the enclave.
“The Israeli army has completed the siege of Gaza city, the center of the Hamas terror organization,” he told reporters, ruling out the idea of an immediate ceasefire. “The concept of a ceasefire is currently not at all discussed,” he added.
Israel faces growing pressure from the UN and humanitarian groups to call a ceasefire amid a rising death toll among Gaza civilians and fears of the conflict spreading across the Middle East.
Meanwhile, United States (US) President Joe Biden did not call for a complete cessation of hostilities, and instead urged a “humanitarian pause”.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also claimed this week that Washington was “determined to prevent any escalation” in the ongoing conflict.
Meanwhile, UN data regarding the death toll in Gaza has exceeded 8,800 people since October 7, including more than 3,600 children. Apart from that, around 22,240 people were injured.
The international body also condemned airstrikes launched by the IDF on Wednesday targeting the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, arguing that the actions “could be considered a war crime.”
On the other hand, Israel insisted that it targeted “terror infrastructure” built near civilian buildings and acted “based on precise intelligence.”
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
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