In his New Year’s message to troops, an Israeli army spokesperson explained that tens of thousands of Israeli reservists will be needed to continue the fighting.
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Israel warns that the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip will continue “all along” of the year 2024 after a New Year’s night marked by incessant strikes on the besieged Palestinian territory and rocket fire on Tel Aviv. Acts of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have also recorded a record in 2023, according to an Israeli NGO. Here is what to remember from the 87th day of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Fighting will continue in 2024, warns Israeli army
Nearly three months after the start of the war, army spokesman Daniel Hagari announced to troops Sunday evening that some reservists would take a break from the war, in order to prepare for “protracted fighting”. The army “must plan ahead as we will be called upon for additional tasks and battles throughout this year”he continued.
On the ground, artillery fire and airstrikes particularly targeting the towns of Rafah and Khan Younes on New Year’s Eve were reported by an AFP correspondent. The start of the new year was also punctuated by warning sirens in several parts of Israel. AFP journalists in Tel Aviv witnessed the rockets being intercepted by Israeli missile defense systems at precisely midnight.
Record settler violence against Palestinians in 2023, according to an NGO
Acts of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank recorded a record in 2023 and left at least ten dead, the Israeli human rights NGO Yesh Din announced on Monday. “Settler violence is Israeli government policy”denounced the organization in a press release, specifying that the number of incidents, their seriousness, “the number of Israelis involved and the toll” violence has broken records in 2023, especially since October 7. “The past two months” since that date “were particularly violent”reported Yesh Din which recorded 242 acts of violence.
Dozens of homes and vehicles belonging to Palestinians were damaged by settlers in 2023, according to this organization, which has been recording this violence since 2006.
Two Israeli ministers speak out in favor of a return of settlers to Gaza
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Monday called for a return of Jewish settlers to Gaza after the ongoing war and “encourage” the Palestinian population to emigrate. “Promoting a solution that encourages the emigration of Gaza residents is necessary. It is a correct, just, moral, and humane solution”he declared, during a meeting of his party. “I appeal to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, this is an opportunity to develop a project aimed at encouraging the emigration of Gaza residents to other countries around the world”added the Minister of National Security.
Another representative of the far right within Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, also advocated on Sunday a return of Jewish settlers to Gaza and an emigration of its Palestinian population.
A new assessment communicated by Hamas
The Palestinian Hamas Health Ministry said on Monday that Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip had killed 21,978 people since the war began on October 7. This toll includes 156 people killed in the last 24 hours, said this source, who also reported 57,697 people injured since October 7.