Israel Widens Air, Ground Attack On Hamas As UN Calls For Truce

Iran International Newsroom
Diplomats applaud after the adoption of a draft resolution during an emergency special session of the UN General Assembly on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, at UN headquarters in New York City, US, October 27, 2023.
Diplomats applaud after the adoption of a draft resolution during an emergency special session of the UN General Assembly on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, at UN headquarters in New York City, US, October 27, 2023.

Israel stepped up air and ground attacks on Hamas in the Gaza Strip Friday as the UN General Assembly endorsed a resolution calling for a truce.

The Israeli military said air and ground forces have widened their attacks and the Palestinian militant group said its fighters were clashing with Israeli troops in areas near the border with Israel.

"In the last hours, we intensified the attacks in Gaza," Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, spokesman for Israel's military, told a televised news briefing after dark on Friday. Israel's air force was conducting extensive strikes on tunnels and other infrastructure, he said.

"In addition to the attacks carried out in the last few days, ground forces are expanding their operations tonight," he said, raising the question of whether a long-anticipated ground invasion of Gaza may be beginning.

The military wing of the Islamist militant group – designated as terrorist by the US and several other countries – said their forces were clashing with Israeli troops in Gaza's northeastern town of Beit Hanoun and in the central area of Al-Bureij.

A view of explosion in Gaza, seen from Sderot in southern Israel, October 27, 2023.
A view of explosion in Gaza, seen from Sderot in southern Israel, October 27, 2023.

The United Nations General Assembly backed a resolution drafted by Arab states calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all civilians, the protection of civilians and international institutions, and ensuring the safe passage of humanitarian aid into the Strip.

The resolution is completely symbolic and not binding but reflects the global mood about Israel’s retaliatory offensive against Hamas, one of Iran’s proxy militias that killed 1,400 Israelis and took over 220 hostages on October 7, the largest attack on the Jewish state since the Yom Kippur War, a three-week armed conflict fought in October 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. The resolution passed to a round of applause with 120 votes in favor, while 45 abstained and 14 -- including Israel and the United States -- voted no.

Canada sought to have an amendment added to the resolution to include a condemnation of Hamas, and a majority of members backed the proposal, but it fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to be adopted.

Immediately after the multi-thronged operation that Hamas calls al-Aqsa Flood, proclaiming its goal of flooding Israelis out of al-Aqsa, Iran and several other countries as well as world bodies started urging an end to the conflict. According to Palestinian authorities Israel’s retaliatory fire has killed over 7,000 Palestinians.