Fierce battles took place on the 27th day of the war between Israeli ground forces and Palestinian factions led by the Hamas movement, while Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari announced yesterday that Israeli forces had “completed the encirclement of Gaza City.” Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy also said that army forces have been working in Gaza City over the past few days and are encircling it from all directions, acknowledging that his forces are waging “a war with a cruel enemy and are paying a painful price.” 

The army spokesman explained that his forces reached deep into the Gaza Strip, but after they engaged in violent and long clashes, and were exposed to anti-armor missiles, explosive devices and hand grenades. For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Israeli forces had penetrated the outskirts of Gaza City, stressing that nothing had happened. He will stop her.

Netanyahu, while among Israeli soldiers, and later in a press conference with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, added, “Our forces have penetrated the outskirts of Gaza City. We are making progress, and we have achieved very impressive successes.” Nothing will stop us, we will move forward, we will advance and we will win.”

Netanyahu's announcement came confirming the Israeli army's intention to enter Gaza City in the center of the Strip, after it surrounded it yesterday from all axes, amid violent resistance from the Palestinian factions, which led to the killing of a number of Israeli forces.

The commander of the “162nd Division” in the Israeli army said, “The mission is still long, and there is still a lot of work, and Israel is preparing for more intense and violent battles as it reaches the strongest (Al-Qassam) defensive lines.” The Israeli army lost 20 officers and soldiers in two days, while its losses since the beginning of the war amounted to 329 soldiers.

Meanwhile, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, yesterday, launched the popular campaign that they directed to be launched through the “Sahem” platform to provide relief to the Palestinian people in Gaza, with their donation of 50 million riyals.

For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken confirmed to reporters at Andrews Air Force Base yesterday, before heading to the Middle East, that he would ask Israel for “concrete steps” to reduce harm to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, while US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said: The White House is considering the idea of truce periods to help civilians in Gaza and reduce human casualties.