TEL AVIV: Israel’s military said 10 of its soldiers were killed in fighting in the northern Gaza Strip in its campaign to eliminate Hamas militants from the Palestinian territory, while U.S. President Joe Biden met with families of American hostages held by the group.
The Israeli military said it attacked more than 250 targets during the past day. Israeli airstrikes included hitting what the military said was a Hamas team preparing to launch rockets at Israel.
During an operation in Gaza, Israeli troops recovered the bodies of two people taken hostage during the Hamas attack in October that prompted the Israeli military response.
An Israel Defense Forces spokesman said Hamas was holding hostages underground in crowded parts of Gaza, making rescue efforts complex.
Even so, he said Israel would not be deterred in its mission to free every hostage.
The continued fighting came amid renewed warnings about the war’s effect on Palestinian civilians in Gaza and pressure from other countries to declare a cease-fire.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told a visiting diplomat, “Israel will continue the war against Hamas with or without international support. A cease-fire at the current stage is a gift to the terrorist organization Hamas and will allow it to return and threaten the residents of Israel.”
(VOA)
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