Israel-Gaza Conflict | Intense bombing, ground operations divide Gaza Strip

New Delhi, Nov 6: In the ongoing intense bombing campaign in northern Gaza, massive explosions continue to reverberate, as Israeli military officials  targeted 450 distinct "objectives" within the past 24 hours.

Last night, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced the encirclement of Gaza City and its advancement towards the coastline, effectively partitioning the Strip into northern and southern segments.

According to the IDF, their ground forces successfully seized control of a strategic outpost in Gaza last night, which housed observation posts, training facilities for terrorist operatives, and underground tunnels Additionally, Israeli troops have now reached the southern coastline of Gaza City, further dividing the region.

The IDF's air campaign, on the last day, involved strikes on approximately 450 targets, including military installations, observation posts, and anti-tank positions. Concerns loom over the safety of residents who have not yet evacuated their homes in the north, raising the spectre of potential civilian casualties.

In a recurring pattern, communication networks, including phone and internet services, have reportedly gone offline in Gaza for the third time since the commencement of the conflict. Netblocks has noted that this blackout is the second-longest recorded, impeding humanitarian and relief efforts in Gaza's safe zones.

The current wave of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza was initiated in response to an earlier incident in which Hamas perpetrated an attack resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 individuals in Israel and the abduction of more than 200 others. The health ministry in Gaza reports that the death toll in the Strip has surpassed 9,500 since October 7th.

Meanwhile, an Israeli soldier sustained serious injuries following a stabbing incident in East Jerusalem, near an entrance to the Old City. The suspected attacker, a 16-year-old from the Issawiya neighbourhood, was shot and killed by security forces after allegedly stabbing two individuals on Sultan Suleiman Street. A second suspect has been apprehended, and investigations are ongoing.