Israel suffers heaviest combat losses since October, diplomatic isolation
Source: Reuters
Israel suffers heaviest combat losses since October, diplomatic isolation
By Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Fadi Shana and Emily Rose
December 13, 2023 4:39 PM EST Updated an hour ago
CAIRO/GAZA/JERUSALEM, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Israel announced its worst combat losses in more than a month on Wednesday after an ambush in the ruins of Gaza, and faced growing diplomatic isolation as civilian deaths mounted and a humanitarian catastrophe worsened in the Palestinian territory.
Intense fighting between Hamas militants and Israeli soldiers was under way in both north and south Gaza, a day after the United Nations demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and U.S. President Joe Biden said Israel's "indiscriminate" bombing of civilians was costing international support.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military would fight on despite international pressure for a ceasefire.
"We're continuing until the end, until victory, until Hamas is annihilated," he told soldiers in Gaza over radio. "I say this in the face of great pain but also in the face of international pressures. Nothing will stop us."
Israel reported 10 of its soldiers killed in the past 24 hours, ...
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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-demands-ceasefire-gaza-israel-us-show-increasing-divisions-2023-12-13/
Alternate no-paywall link: https://news.yahoo.com/un-demands-ceasefire-gaza-israel-015607142.html
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Source: Associated Press
9 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza City ambush in sign that Hamas resistance is still strong
BY WAFAA SHURAFA, JACK JEFFERY AND MELANIE LIDMAN
Updated 6:15 PM EST, December 13, 2023
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian militants carried out one of the deadliest single attacks on Israeli soldiers since the Gaza invasion began, killing at least nine in an urban ambush, the military said Wednesday, a sign of the stiff resistance Hamas still poses despite more than two months of devastating bombardment.
The ambush in a dense neighborhood came after repeated recent claims by the Israeli military that it had broken Hamas’ command structure in northern Gaza, encircled remaining pockets of fighters, killed thousands of militants and detained hundreds more.
The tenacious fighting underscores how far Israel appears to be from its aim of destroying Hamas — even after the military unleashed one of the 21st century’s most destructive onslaughts. Israel’s air and ground assault has killed more than 18,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health officials. Gaza City and surrounding towns have been pounded to ruins. Nearly 1.9 million people have been driven from their homes.
The resulting humanitarian crisis has sparked international outrage. The United States has repeatedly called on Israel to take greater measures to spare civilians, even as it has blocked international calls for a cease-fire and rushed military aid to its close ally.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-13-2023-10a0370b7b320d73def6b6a2a137f16a
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