The Israeli army and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas engaged in violent fighting on Sunday, December 10 in the south of the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands of people found themselves trapped.
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What you must remember :
■ Benyamin Netanyahu assures that Israel will continue its “ just war to eliminate Hamas », greeting “ the appropriate position adopted by the United States in the UN Security Council » after their veto on a humanitarian ceasefire.
■ The Israeli army says it has “intensified” its operations in the south of the Gaza Strip, particularly around Khan Younes and Rafah. At the start of its ground offensive, it asked the population of the north of the Palestinian enclave to go to the south.
■ About 17,700 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 7, according to the Hamas government. The majority are women and young people under 18 years old. 48,780 people were injured in this Palestinian territory. More than 1 200 Israelis were killed.
■ During the truce, 110 hostages – 86 Israelis and 24 foreigners – were freed by Hamas, according to Israel’s count. For his part, Israel frees 240 Palestinian prisoners; 137 hostages remain held in Gaza, according to Israel.
Information given in universal time (Paris+1)
06:15 a.m.: A French frigate shoots down two drones coming from Yemen in the Red Sea
A French frigate patrolling the Red Sea shot down two drones during the night coming from northern Yemen, territory under the control of Houthi rebels who threaten to disrupt traffic on this strategic sea route as part of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The General Staff of the Armed Forces indicated in a press release that the multi-mission frigate Languedocwhich operates in the Red Sea, had shot down these drones which were heading towards it.
“ The interception and destruction of these two characterized threats » took place during the night from Saturday to Sunday, 110 kilometers from the Yemeni coast, near Hodeida, a port in northern Yemen under the control of the Houthi rebels.
The latter threatened on Saturday to attack any ship in the Red Sea heading towards Israel if the population of the Gaza Strip did not receive emergency aid. In a statement posted on social media before the French announcement, the Houthis said they “ would prevent the passage of ships heading towards the Zionist entity » if the inhabitants of the Palestinian territory, bombed by Israel for two months, did not receive more humanitarian aid, such as food and medicine.
Hamas, a member of what it calls “ the axis of resistance » against Israel, alongside in particular the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Houthis, welcomed the decision “ courageous and daring » Yemeni rebels. “ We call on Arab and Muslim countries to use all their capabilities, based on their historical responsibilities and in the spirit of chivalry, to lift the siege of Gaza », added Hamas in this press release sent to AFP.
06:00: The southern Gaza Strip in the grip of intense fighting
Early Sunday, the Israeli Air Force carried out ” very violent air raids » near Khan Yunis, and on the road between this town and Rafah, near the border with Egypt, the Hamas administration said. An AFP journalist was able to observe the strikes in southern Gaza.
A few hours later, a source close to the military branches of Hamas and Islamic Jihad told AFP that the two movements were involved in “ violent clashes » around Khan Younes.
The Israeli army said it had “ intensified » its operations in these areas of the southern Gaza Strip. “ We need to step up the pressure », Launched his army chief of staff Herzi Halevi, reporting a growing number of Hamas fighters “killed”.
At the very beginning of its ground offensive, the Israeli army asked the population of the northern Gaza Strip to go to the south.
► A look back at December 9 by clicking here