Intense clashes in Gaza as Hamas alleges Israel’s involvement in camp bombing

Israel remains embroiled in a prolonged conflict with Hamas, almost a month after experiencing one of the deadliest attacks in its history. The Palestinian militant group, Hamas, has accused Israel of being responsible for a recent bombing in Gaza, claiming it resulted in the deaths of numerous individuals.

Despite calls for a ceasefire from various Arab nations and desperate pleas from civilians who have endured 30 days of warfare, fierce fighting continues to ravage the densely populated Gaza Strip.

In the most recent incident, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reported that an Israeli airstrike struck the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza late Saturday, resulting in the loss of 30 lives. Witnesses on the ground confirmed the deaths of children and extensive damage to residential homes.

Mohammed Alaloul, a 37-year-old journalist working for the Turkish Anadolu Agency, recounted the devastating impact on his family. He revealed that the Israeli airstrike targeted his neighbors’ house in the Al-Maghazi camp, causing partial collapse to his own home. Tragically, his 13-year-old son, Ahmed, and four-year-old son, Qais, lost their lives, along with his brother. His wife, mother, and two other children sustained injuries.

Israeli troops are actively engaged in combat within Gaza, and military officials are examining whether their forces were operating in the vicinity during the time of the airstrike.

Since a shocking Hamas attack on October 7, which Israeli authorities claim resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,400 people, primarily civilians, Israel has continued its relentless bombardment of the besieged Gaza Strip. Furthermore, Hamas has taken more than 240 Israeli and foreign hostages during the attack, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reject truce proposals until all hostages are released.

Israeli officials have disclosed that they have targeted over 12,000 sites across the Palestinian territory since October 7, marking one of the most intense bombing campaigns in recent history.

The health ministry in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, reports that over 9,480 Gazans, primarily women and children, have lost their lives due to Israeli airstrikes and the intensifying ground offensive.

Hamas released a statement on Telegram accusing Israel of directly targeting civilian homes, resulting in the deaths of numerous women and children.

As the conflict enters its fifth week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to continue his Middle East tour, with a visit to Turkey on Sunday. In Turkey, where sentiment against Israel and its Western supporters has grown amid the surging death toll in Gaza, Blinken is expected to face a rising tide of anger.

In meetings with Arab foreign ministers in Jordan on Saturday, Blinken reaffirmed U.S. support for “humanitarian pauses” to provide assistance to desperate civilians. However, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu remained reluctant to entertain the idea of such pauses.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, whose country has served as the primary conduit for foreigners to exit Gaza and for aid to enter, called for an “immediate and comprehensive ceasefire.”

Hamas announced on Saturday the suspension of evacuating dual nationals and foreigners from Gaza until Israel permits wounded Palestinians to cross into Egypt for hospital treatment, via the Rafah border crossing.

A senior White House official described how Hamas had attempted to exploit a U.S.-brokered deal to open the Egyptian border crossing to facilitate the departure of its members, a move that was deemed unacceptable by Egypt, the U.S., and Israel.

Turkey, a Palestinian ally, announced on Saturday that it was recalling its ambassador to Israel and ceasing communication with Prime Minister Netanyahu in protest of the escalating violence in Gaza. This decision came after Turkey had been working to mend its strained relations with Israel until the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held Prime Minister Netanyahu personally responsible for the increasing number of civilian casualties in Gaza, stating that Netanyahu was no longer someone with whom Turkey could engage in dialogue.

In response, an Israeli foreign ministry spokesman accused Turkey’s President of siding with the Hamas terrorist organization.

While the Israeli military labels Gaza City as the “center of the Hamas terror organization,” the U.S. special envoy for aid assistance, David Satterfield, estimated that between 350,000 and 400,000 civilians still reside in the city and its adjacent areas.

Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi visited troops inside Gaza on Saturday, following the successful encirclement of Gaza City, located to the north of the Al-Maghazi camp that was struck overnight on Saturday.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that Israeli forces were engaged in intense combat in both the southern and northern parts of Gaza City and had entered populated areas.

The Israeli military confirmed that it had launched a targeted raid to locate tunnels and clear explosive traps in southern Gaza, an area they have previously struck but rarely entered with ground troops. The military reported that they encountered a terrorist cell emerging from a tunnel shaft and subsequently fired upon them, resulting in their deaths.

On Saturday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken held discussions in Amman with foreign ministers from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, all of whom play pivotal roles in the ongoing crisis.

During these meetings, King Abdullah II of Jordan emphasized that the only way to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is to work toward a political solution, based on a just and comprehensive peace that adheres to the two-state solution.

While the U.S. administration has expressed support for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s hard-right government remains steadfastly opposed to such a resolution.