100 days and 25,000 deaths later, Israel’s offensive in Gaza shows no signs of slowing

A hundred days have passed since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, triggering a fierce attack on Gaza, resulting in the death of at least 25,000 Israelis and Palestinians and the destruction and displacement of over a million inhabitants of the besieged Gaza enclave.

More than 2 million Gazans have been displaced from their homes and are now seeking refuge in temporary shelters in the enclave in what the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has described as “the largest displacement of the Palestinian people since 1948.”

Mounting death toll

Israel has said that more than 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’ assault and over 240 people were taken hostage, of which 105 civilians, mostly foreigners, women and children, were released during a brief ceasefire in November. However, as many as 136 Israelis remain in the custody of the militant group.

Palestinians converge for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Dec. 21, 2023. (AP Photo)

Meanwhile, the Gaza health ministry said that nearly 24,000 people — the majority of them women and children — have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and ground offensive and more than 60,000 have been wounded. Almost the entire 2 million-strong population of the enclave have been displaced and are housed in refugee camps in southern Gaza, according to the UN agency for Palestine Refugees.

The current hostage situation

According to a report in the local Times of Israel, besides the 105 captives released during the ceasefire, one was rescued alive and four others were released before the pause in fighting. Eight hostages were killed and their bodies have been recovered. Three hostages were mistakenly killed by the Israeli military and 25 of those who are believed to be still in Hamas custody have been confirmed dead by the Israeli Defence Forces citing new intelligence and findings obtained by troops operating in Gaza.

An Israeli soldier walks near pictures that are part of an installation at the site of the Nova festival, where people were killed and kidnapped during the October 7 attack by Hamas gunmen from Gaza, in Reim, southern Israel, January 14, 2024. (Reuters)

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has called on the world nations to help bring the hostages home. “I call upon the entire family of nations to do your part. This isn’t just our battle. It is a battle for the entire world. Stand with life and liberty. Stand with freedom and democracy, against barbarism and hate,” he said in a speech on Sunday, reported the Times of Israel.

“Stand with our hostages. And help bring them home!” he added. “‏There is no later. The time for you to act is now.”

Israel refuses ceasefire

Despite its failure to rescue hostages via diplomacy or military action since November, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continued to brush off global calls for a ceasefire. In a televised speech on Saturday, Netanyahu vowed to continue the offensive until “victory”.

While the initial phase of their war was centred on clearing the northern end of the strip, including Gaza City, the Israeli military has said that it has shifted focus to the southern end of Gaza, where almost 2 million people are now sheltering in tents and other temporary accommodation, reported the news agency Reuters. It said that the next phase of the war will see months of more targeted operations against the Iranian-backed movement’s leaders and positions.

Biden says US working on freeing hostages

US President Joe Biden, in a statement issued on Sunday, said that the United States and its partners have not given up yet on the hostage issue.

“In November, working in close coordination with Qatar, Egypt, and Israel, we brokered a seven-day pause in fighting that resulted in the release of 105 hostages — including a 4-year-old American child — and allowed us to surge additional vital humanitarian aid into Gaza. I was deeply engaged to secure, sustain, and extend that deal. Sadly, Hamas walked away after just one week,” Biden said.

Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, as the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas continues, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, December 19, 2023. (Reuters)

“But the United States and our partners have not given up. Secretary Blinken was back in the region this past week seeking a path forward for a deal to free all those still being held. I look forward to maintaining close contact with my counterparts in Qatar, Egypt, and Israel to return all hostages home and back to their families,” he added.

South Africa’s genocide case against Israel

The verdict in the much-reported trial in the International Court of Justice in The Hague in which South Africa has accused Israel of orchestrating a genocide in Gaza is yet to be out. The two-day public hearing commenced on Thursday, and South Africa has accused Israel of committing the crime of genocide in Gaza in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention.

However, Israel has rejected the charges, with President Herzog terming the charges “preposterous” and as constituting a “blood libel,” as per an Al Jazeera report. An initial verdict on the case could be expected in weeks, but the main verdict on whether Israel is guilty of committing genocide is likely to take years.

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