Widespread Assault on Gaza; Israel Says Operations in the South Match Those in the North

Israel's comprehensive attacks on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7 following a deadly assault by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, expanded on October 27 with a ground invasion into northern Gaza and, after a temporary ceasefire was violated on December 1, extended to southern areas as well. The southern Gaza Strip has been under heavy ground and aerial attacks by the Israeli army on Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday, the Israeli army announced that the ground invasion had expanded to all areas of Gaza, issuing an evacuation order for crowded southern regions and emphasizing that operations in southern Gaza against Hamas would continue with the same intensity as in northern Gaza. Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israeli army in Tel Aviv, told reporters that Israeli soldiers are continuing to expand ground operations against all Hamas centers throughout the Gaza Strip to eliminate all 'terrorists.' Hamas, which is supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran, is designated a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, the European Union, and several other countries. Ronen Bar, head of Israel's internal security service Shin Bet, warned on Sunday that 'Israel will pursue Hamas leaders in Qatar, Turkey, and Lebanon, even if it takes years, and eliminate them all.' Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu stated that 'we speak to the enemy in the language of fire,' emphasizing that Israel's efforts to free more individuals still held hostage by Hamas would be carried out through military operations. During the mid-October attack on Israel, Hamas took over 240 people hostage, of which 105, including 81 Israeli citizens and 24 foreign nationals, were released during a seven-day ceasefire in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. According to the Associated Press, after dark on Sunday, gunfire and shelling were heard in the central city of Deir al-Balah, and Khan Younis, the second-largest city in Gaza, was also targeted by Israeli drones. Images of Israeli tanks on Salah al-Din Road, the main highway from north to south Gaza, have been published. At the same time, Hamas and Islamic Jihad reported clashes between their forces and the Israeli army in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. However, Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas spokesperson, dismissed discussions of Israel's entry into southern Gaza and penetration of the group's defenses as 'media discourse.' Meanwhile, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian Foreign Minister, stated during a press conference with his Omani counterpart in Tehran on Sunday evening that 'the new phase of Israeli attacks in Gaza has begun with the presence of the U.S. Secretary of State,' threatening that 'the U.S. must bear the consequences of its behavior in supporting Israel.' As the war between Israel and Hamas continues in the Gaza Strip, on Sunday, 11 people in northern Israel were injured due to an anti-tank guided missile attack launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon. According to the Israeli army, fighter jets have attacked several Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon in response to these attacks. Many of the 2.3 million residents of Gaza have fled to southern Gaza in the early days of the war after Israel ordered civilians to leave the north. The United Nations estimates that around 1.8 million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced, and according to Juliette Touma, communications director for the UN Palestinian Refugee Agency, nearly one million of them are currently in 99 UN centers in the south. The continuation of the war in Gaza; the U.S. Secretary of Defense emphasizes the protection of civilians. The White House: Israel is making efforts to protect civilians in Gaza. Britain begins reconnaissance flights to help locate hostages in Gaza. Israel has discovered 800 entrances to Hamas tunnels beneath Gaza. Families of hostages are demanding meetings with Netanyahu. The future outlook for Gaza after the war from Kamala Harris's perspective.