Israel has detained 200 members of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups in the past week and brought them into its territory for questioning.
Israel has announced the arrest of 700 Palestinian militants, including some who had been hiding among the civilian population and surrendered voluntarily.
The arrests were made as part of Israel’s military operation and invasion of Gaza with the aim of eliminating Hamas. Hamas claims that mostly women and children are being killed by Israelis, but the BBC cannot independently verify these claims.
The conflict escalated after Hamas fighters crossed from Gaza into southern Israel on October 7, resulting in casualties and hostages.
The death toll in Gaza has reached at least 20,000 people, with 50,000 injured, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Israel has continued its bombing campaign, issuing evacuation orders for civilians in Gaza. The UN reported that the latest order affected 150,000 people in the middle of the Strip.
An adviser to the Israeli prime minister acknowledged “terrible suffering” in Gaza, attributing it to the Hamas leadership’s disregard for the people.
Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet released a joint statement, mentioning the arrest of 200 fighters and “hundreds of suspects involved in terrorist activities” in Gaza.
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution aiming to introduce “extended humanitarian pauses and corridors” throughout Gaza to avert a humanitarian catastrophe. However, the resolution fell short of an immediate ceasefire.
The US and Russia abstained from the vote. At the same time, 13 other council members, including the UK, backed the text, calling for conditions for a “sustainable cessation of hostilities” and the release of hostages.
Hamas criticized the resolution as insufficient, accusing the US of diluting its essence. UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted that Israel’s offensive posed significant obstacles to aid distribution in Gaza.
Source: BBC
