Israeli army: Heavy fighting continues in Khan Younis

Gaza, Jan 26, (dpa/GNA) – Israel’s army reported on Friday, that it is continuing its intensive fighting in the southern city of Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip, as soldiers attacked dozens of targets of the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas.

“Terrorists were killed by the troops, during fighting in the area,” the army said, adding that there were several casualties in various operations. The military said it also attacked Hamas infrastructure, again in the north of the coastal strip.

According to eyewitnesses, thousands of people fled Khan Younis due to the fierce fighting. The largest city in the south of the Gaza Strip is considered a Hamas stronghold.

Israel believes senior Hamas officials, are hiding in tunnels in Khan Younis, and that militants, are keeping Israeli hostages in the extensive underground network, too.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported on Thursday, that Israeli units had bombed and shelled the area around the al-Amal hospital. Rescue workers and people seeking help could no longer reach it.

The Israeli military announced early on Friday, that it was in contact with the medical staff of the Nasser and al-Amal hospitals in Khan Younis to ensure their continued operation.

According to the United Nations, some 18,000 internally displaced people have sought refuge in the Nasser hospital alone. However, according to the army, many people have voluntarily decided to leave the hospitals via an escape corridor.

Israel’s military rejected reports of sieges or attacks on the two hospitals as “blatant misinformation.” The army has said that there are indications that Hamas is using both hospitals for its own purposes.

The Gaza war was triggered by the brutal massacre, carried out by Hamas militants and other Palestinian extremist groups, in Israel on October 7.

CIA Director Bill Burns will reportedly travel to Europe in the coming days, to negotiate the release of the Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas.

As reported by CNN on Thursday, citing US officials familiar with the plans, Burns intends to meet Israeli and Egyptian intelligence chiefs and Qatari officials to broker the return home of those seized in the October 7 Hamas attack.

The talks with Mossad Director David Barnea, Egyptian intelligence head Abbas Kamel and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdel-Rahman, are expected to take place in Europe, the Washington Post also reported.

Talks about the release of the hostages have recently picked up fresh momentum.

However, an Israeli government spokesman this week, rejected as “ludicrous”, a Hamas proposal to release detained Palestinian perpetrators of the worst atrocities on October 7, in any hostage deal.

With the help of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, a one-week ceasefire was agreed at the end of November. During this period, Hamas released 105 hostages in several stages. In return, Israel released 240 Palestinian detainees from its prisons.

GNA
RA
26 Jan, 2024

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Politics Ukraine Russia
Ukraine, Russia trade blame for downed plane at UN Security Council

New York, Jan 26, (dpa/GNA) – As much remains unclear about the crash of a Russian military transport plane, that took place near the Russian city of Belgorod, close to the Ukrainian border, Ukraine and Russia have exchanged blows at the UN Security Council.

Russia’s deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky, said at a meeting of the body in New York on Thursday, that it was a “deliberate, premeditated crime.”

Ukraine’s deputy UN ambassador, Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, rejected the accusations, saying that Ukraine, had not been informed about the number and type of means of transport, used to transport the prisoners, who, according to the Russian account, died in the incident.

The information stated by both parties, could not be independently verified.

Moscow claims 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers, who were due to be swapped in a prisoner exchange, were among the 74 people killed, when the plane was hit on Wednesday by Ukrainian missiles.

Kiev has so far only confirmed that a planned prisoner exchange was in the works with Russia, but has not said whether its missiles downed the plane, nor offered an explanation for what caused it to crash.

The special session of the UN Security Council was called at Russia’s request.

GNA