Israel army warns Gaza war will continue throughout 2024

AFP | Jerusalem                                                     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Israel warned the Gaza war will continue throughout 2024 as unrelenting strikes killed dozens in the Palestinian territory and Hamas fired a rocket barrage at the stroke of midnight.

Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said that some of the 300,000 army reservists would get a break from the war, in order to prepare for the “prolonged fighting” ahead.

“We will be required for additional tasks and warfare throughout this year,” Hagari said as the conflict sparked by the October 7 Hamas attacks raged on.

Heavy artillery fire again pounded the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, killing at least 24 people, health ministry officials there said, with attacks including air strikes reported across the length of the besieged territory.

“This New Year’s Eve, there are only missiles and the remains of people,” said 20-yearold Hamdan Abu Arab, expressing hope that “2024 will be better”.

The Gaza health ministry said 15 dead bodies from the same family were recovered Monday from the rubble of a bombed house in Jabalia, in the northern part of the territory.

“It’s the worst year of our lives,” Sami Hamouda, 64, told AFP. “Every new day is like the previous one: bombings, death and mass killings.” Hamas marked the start of the year by firing a rocket barrage at Israel in what it called a “response to the massacres of civilians”.

AFP journalists in Tel Aviv witnessed missile defence systems intercept rockets overhead as some revellers ran for cover and others kept up the party with a shrug.

‘Hopeless’

Hagari said the Israeli army was “adapting the planning of the force deployment in Gaza” including reserve soldiers, as “the fighting will continue and they will still be required”.

“Some of the reservists will return to their families and employment this week.

This will significantly ease the burden on the economy and allow them to gather strength for the upcoming activities in the next year.”

Since Israel imposed a siege at the outset of the war, Gazans have been facing dire shortages of food, water, fuel and medicine -- eased only by aid trucks, about 120 of which entered on Sunday.

The UN says 85 percent of the population of the Gaza Strip has been displaced. “We are exhausted... We were displaced five times during this war,” said 29-year-old Bassam Hana.

“We hope things improve in 2024 and that we live just like any other human being.”

Regional fears

The war in Gaza has also raised fears of a broader regional conflict, with hostilities flaring with mostly Iran-backed militant groups in nearby countries who say they are acting in support of Hamas.

Iranian news agency Tasnim said yesterday the Alborz warship had entered the Red Sea, a globally important waterway where a US-led maritime coalition has deployed to stop attacks from Yemen’s Tehran-backed Huthi rebels.

The US military said Sunday that Navy helicopters had fired at rebel boats off Yemen that were attacking a cargo ship, with Yemeni sources reporting 10 rebels killed.

Late Sunday, the Israeli army said it had intercepted two “hostile aircraft” flying from Syria.

And yesterday, the military said it had struck Lebanon, where it has fought the Hezbollah militant group, in response to attempted drone launches.