Recent developments raise significant concerns in Washington

(MENAFN) Recent developments have raised significant concerns in Washington regarding Israel's military operations in the northern Gaza Strip. A U.S. State Department official, as reported by the Washington Post, stated that the U.S. has alerted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fears that Israel is pursuing a strategy aimed at isolating northern Gaza. Netanyahu's senior aide has refuted this claim, suggesting a divergence between U.S. assessments and Israeli policy.

The official also emphasized that the U.S. has sought a definitive stance from Netanyahu regarding these actions, but the Israeli Prime Minister has not committed to clarifying his position. The U.S. increasingly views Israeli military tactics as a potential threat to the civilian population in northern Gaza, heightening concerns that these residents could become primary targets amid the escalating conflict.

In light of intensifying violence, recent Israeli airstrikes have resulted in a tragic increase in Palestinian fatalities. Reports indicate that at least 55 Palestinians lost their lives within a 24-hour span, with 45 of those deaths occurring in northern Gaza. This alarming rise in violence has been characterized by the Islamic Resistance movement, Hamas, as a systematic campaign of forced displacement carried out by Israeli forces, all while the international community observes.

Hamas has urged immediate global intervention to stop what it labels as ethnic cleansing and massacres perpetrated by the Israeli military in northern Gaza. Additionally, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa has condemned the ongoing situation, describing it as a continuation of the most severe forms of Zionist genocide.

Eyewitness accounts from the region reveal widespread destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure by Israeli forces throughout northern Gaza. Areas impacted by bombings and arson include neighborhoods near Al-Jalaa Street and Sheikh Radwan, with many of these sites alarmingly close to homes where civilians have resisted Israeli evacuation orders since the military operation commenced 18 days ago. The persistent violence and deepening humanitarian crisis in northern Gaza continue to garner international attention and concern, highlighting the urgent need for intervention to safeguard vulnerable populations.

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