Fighting Intensifies as Some Gazans Express Hope for Renewed Ceasefire Calls

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

Israeli forces engaged in intense clashes with militants affiliated with Hamas throughout the northern and southern regions of the Gaza Strip on Thursday. Palestinian health officials reported that Israeli military strikes in various areas of the enclave had resulted in the deaths of at least 17 Palestinians overnight.

Medical personnel indicated that these fatalities were linked to separate air strikes carried out by Israeli forces in Deir Al-Balah, located in central Gaza, as well as in Khan Younis and Rafah in the southern part of the territory.

The military factions of Hamas and Islamic Jihad announced that their fighters had targeted Israeli forces in central Gaza using multiple mortar attacks, while Hamas also confirmed shelling Israeli positions in Khan Younis.

Witnesses reported that Israeli troops conducting operations in Rafah and Zeitoun, a suburb of Gaza City, had blown up several homes as part of their military efforts.

Gaza health authorities have recorded over 41,400 Palestinians confirmed killed since the onset of the conflict, which escalated after Hamas launched an attack on Israeli towns on October 7 of the previous year, resulting in 1,200 Israeli casualties and the abduction of approximately 250 hostages.

Hostilities in Gaza persist, even as Israel intensifies military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Numerous diplomatic attempts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza have largely failed, with Israel insisting that any cessation of hostilities must involve the complete dismantling of Hamas.

Recently, the conflict has expanded to Lebanon, where Israel initiated significant airstrikes targeting Hezbollah, which has been launching attacks on Israel in support of the Palestinian cause.

On Wednesday, the United States, France, and several allied nations called for a 21-day ceasefire along the Israel-Lebanon border while also expressing support for a ceasefire in Gaza, following extensive discussions at the United Nations.

Many Palestinians in Gaza harbor hopes that a resolution to the conflict in Lebanon might contribute to an end to the fighting in their own territory. Tamer Al-Burai, a displaced Palestinian businessman currently residing in Khan Younis, stated, "Since October 8, Hassan Nasrallah has linked Hezbollah’s cessation of attacks to an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza. This represents a significant opportunity for peace in both Lebanon and Gaza."

"We stand in solidarity with the people of Lebanon and hope that none suffer as we have," Al-Burai shared via a messaging app.

Some observers fear that a resolution focused solely on Lebanon might allow Israel to intensify its actions in Gaza. However, Gaza City resident Abed Abu Mustafa expressed confidence that Nasrallah would continue to back the Palestinian enclave. "We believe that Nasrallah would not agree to any deal that overlooks Gaza; he has consistently emphasized the unity among resistance groups," Abu Mustafa remarked.

The term "Axis of Resistance" encompasses groups, including Hezbollah, that are backed by Iran and have engaged in hostilities against Israel since the outbreak of war following the Hamas-Israel conflict that began on October 7.