Israel resumes attacks in northern Gaza amid calls for ceasefire

Israel resumed military operations in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday amid growing international calls for a ceasefire.

In its latest update, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that its troops have returned to areas where they previously operated.

Over the past few weeks, attacks in the north of the strip have decreased following Israel's assertion of gaining control over the area, fostering hopes that displaced civilians could return to their homes – a prospect the Israeli army has indicated that it will not permit at this stage.

"The forces operating under the division are preventing Hamas from rebuilding its capabilities," Itzik Cohen, the commander of IDF's 162nd Division, said in the update, stressing the forces were "intensifying operations against and pressure on Hamas remaining in the area."

Bombardment persists in southern Gaza

The Israeli bombardment persists throughout the enclave, including in Khan Younis, the largest city in southern Gaza, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Over the weekend, at least 20 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Rafah, a city previously designated as a safe zone by the Israeli army. More than half of Gaza's over 2 million population have fled to Rafah, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories.

At least 133 Palestinians were killed and 205 injured in Gaza over the past 24 hours, the Hamas-run Health Ministry reported on Monday.

The ministry said more than 27,478 Palestinians have been killed and 66,835 others injured from the Israeli attacks on Gaza, which were triggered by Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on October 7 that Israel said killed about 1,200 people.

On Monday morning, a food aid convoy was struck by Israeli gunfire while waiting to move into northern Gaza, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

"Thankfully, no one was injured," Tom White, director of UNRWA affairs in Gaza, wrote in a post on the social media platform X. Photos circulating on X showed that damage was caused to the convoy.

An Israeli security source told Xinhua that the army was checking the report, without providing more information.

International efforts

Also on Monday, speaking at a press conference during his first official visit to Israel, French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne called on the Israeli government to facilitate an "immediate ceasefire" and a "massive influx" of aid into Gaza.

As Qatari, Egyptian and U.S. mediators were waiting for a reply from Hamas to a ceasefire offer, which includes hostage release, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his right-wing Likud party that the conflict is not near an end.

"Our goal is a complete victory over Hamas. We will kill the Hamas leadership. Therefore, we must continue to act in all areas of the Gaza Strip," he said.

Hamas has said it wants more guarantees to bring an end to the four-month fighting from a truce deal.

The ceasefire proposal, sources told Reuters, envisions a truce of at least 40 days when militants would free the civilians among the remaining hostages they are holding, followed by later phases to hand over soldiers and bodies.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed regional coordination for a potential end of the conflict with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Monday, during a Middle East visit that Palestinians hope will clinch a truce.

Regional tensions soaring 

The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has sent regional tensions soaring, with a surge in attacks by Iran-backed groups in solidarity with Gaza triggering counterattacks by key Israel ally the United States.

The U.S.-British coalition launched three airstrikes on Yemen's northern province of Saada before dawn on Tuesday, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.

The airstrikes are part of an ongoing military response by U.S. and UK since January 12. The actions are reportedly in retaliation for Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

Yemen's Houthi groups said Tuesday they struck U.S. and British ships in two separate attacks in the Red Sea, where the militia have been attacking Israeli ships and vessels sailing to Israel in solidarity with Palestinians since last November. 

Besides, the United Nations Security Council held an urgent meeting late on Monday to discuss the recent U.S. air strikes on targets in Iraq and Syria. 

Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Undersecretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, appealed to the Council to continue to actively engage all concerned parties to prevent further escalation and the worsening of tensions that undermine regional peace and security, after briefed ambassadors.

Ambassadors from countries including China and Algeria all urged a ceasefire in Gaza, a de-escalation of the conflict to avoid its spillover into the wider Middle East region, and respect for the territorial and sovereign integrity of states.

(With input from agencies)

(Cover: A picture taken from a position in southern Israel along the border with the Gaza Strip on February 5, 2024, shows an Israeli tank rolling amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. /CFP)