Gaza City Encircled as Pressure Mounts to Halt Airstrikes: 9,000 Palestinians Killed

Israeli troops have “completed the encirclement of Gaza City, a significant area associated with the Hamas group,” the military spokesperson announced today. This development comes as leaders from the US and Arab nations increase their efforts to persuade Israel to ease its restrictions on Gaza and temporarily suspend its attacks to aid the civilian population. In a separate incident, an Israeli airstrike struck a residential building in the Bureij refugee camp near Gaza City, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 15 lives and the entrapment of several individuals under the rubble.

Regarding the casualty figures, the death toll in Gaza has risen to 9,061 people, with 32,000 others sustaining injuries, according to the latest update from the Gazan health ministry. This heartbreaking toll includes 3,760 children and 2,326 women. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that over 1,400 Israelis lost their lives in the October 7 attack by Hamas, and more than 240 individuals have been held captive in Gaza.

As for the current situation on the ground, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to make his second visit to Israel in less than a month. During his visit, he will hold discussions with Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and make a stop in Jordan, one of the few Arab states that have normalized relations with Israel.