The Israeli air force continued to bombard the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, and Hamas fighters continued to carry out attacks on Israeli soldiers, a further indication that a United Nations Security Council resolution this week calling for a ceasefire has not been met. had succeeded in convincing both parties as attempts because an agreement seemed to be faltering.
In the two days since the UN resolution was passed on Monday, the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, have said they are continuing to carry out attacks on Israeli soldiers. The Israeli military said on Wednesday that warplanes had struck dozens of targets in the past day, including tunnels, military complexes and militants.
Israel has spoken out in its condemnation of the Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire for the remaining weeks of Ramadan that would lead to a “lasting, durable” cessation of fighting and unconditional release of all hostages held by militants. in Gaza. The United States, which has vetoed previous attempts, abstained, allowing the resolution to pass.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott in Jerusalem on Wednesday and continued to express his opposition to the US decision. He argued, according to a statement from his office, that it “encouraged Hamas to take a hard line and believe that international pressure will prevent Israel from freeing the hostages and destroying Hamas.”
Israel and Hamas appear to have come no closer to negotiating a cessation of fighting, while significant differences remain between them.
On Wednesday, three Palestinian human rights groups said there had been an intensification of Israeli bombardment of Rafah over the past 72 hours, killing dozens. Hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans are sheltering there. Some of the strikes described by the groups took place after the Security Council resolution was passed, while several others took place earlier.
Gaza authorities said on Wednesday that Civil Defense teams had rescued Palestinians from rubble after attacks in northern Gaza’s Jabaliya neighborhood, although the timing was unclear.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said its teams had retrieved the bodies of two people killed by artillery fire in the Nuseirat district.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reports.
On Wednesday afternoon, Hamas said it had hit a soldier near Gaza City’s Al-Shifa hospital with sniper fire, after saying on Tuesday it had attacked two Israeli tanks in the Khan Younis area, as well as an armored personnel carrier and a soldier. on the north-south coast road.
Since early last week, Israeli forces have attacked Al-Shifa in what the army says is an attempt to crack down on Hamas. Humanitarian organizations have expressed concern about the situation at the medical facility, which, along with the surrounding area, housed thousands of people.
Over the past 48 hours, the Qassam Brigades also published videos claiming militants were shooting at Israeli forces, but it was not clear when the videos were taken.