Israel battles militants in Gaza’s main cities

Displaced Palestinians gather in the yard of Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital. Pic/AP

Israeli forces battled Palestinian militants in Gaza's two largest cities on Monday, with civilians still sheltering along the front lines even after massive waves of displacement across the besieged territory. Israel has pledged to keep fighting until it removes Hamas from power, dismantles its military capabilities and returns all of the scores of hostages still held by Palestinian militants after being captured during the October 7 surprise attack into Israel that ignited the war.

The US has provided unwavering diplomatic and military support for the campaign, even as it has urged Israel to minimize civilian casualties and further mass displacement. The war has killed thousands of Palestinian civilians and driven nearly 85% of the territory's 2.3 million people from their homes. Residents said there was heavy fighting in and around the southern city of Khan Younis, where Israeli ground forces opened a new line of attack last week, and battles were still underway in parts of Gaza City and the built-up Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, where large areas have been reduced to rubble.

Israel approves plan to rebuild communities in Gaza Strip

Israel's Cabinet on Sunday approved the outline for a strategic multi-year plan to rebuild communities adjacent to the Gaza Strip. The plan constitutes a broad budgetary framework for five years of up to 18 billion shekels ($4.9 billion) intended to lead to the rehabilitation of the region. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "In the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip at the start of the war, we established the Tekuma Authority." Tekuma is Hebrew for ‘revival'. "We provided a massive budget to rebuild the communities and to ensure that nobody will be left behind," Netanyahu added.

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