Israel intensifies strikes on Gaza, underground targets

Smoke ascending from the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing battles. Pic/AP

The Israeli military intensified airstrikes in Gaza including near its largest hospital. Internet and phone connectivity were restored for many people on Sunday after Israeli strikes had knocked out most communications in the territory late Friday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday called the 3-week-old Israel-Hamas war a fight for Israel's existence and said "‘Never again' is now." He announced a "second stage" in the war and said Israel is determined to bring back 229 hostages taken by Hamas during its bloody October 7 rampage.

People in New York take part in a protest in support of the Palestinian people. Pic/AP

The Israeli military said Sunday it had struck over 450 militant targets over 24 hours, including Hamas command centres, observation posts and anti-tank missile launching positions. It said more ground forces were sent into Gaza overnight.

The Palestinian death toll passed 7,700, according to the Health Ministry. In the occupied West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli raids.

Scores break into UN aid warehouses

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees says thousands of people broke into its Gaza aid warehouses to take food and other "basic survival items". Thomas White, the agency's director in Gaza, said Sunday that the break-in was "a sign that civil order is starting to break down".

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever