Israeli army takes ‘operational control’ of central Gaza after air strikes kill 70 Palestinians

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Israel-Gaza War: The Israeli army said it had gained “operational control” over eastern areas of the Bureij refugee camp and the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah. Dozens of Palestinians were reported killed. The army said on Wednesday that troops had launched an operation against “terrorists and above and below ground terrorist infrastructure” using air strikes, the BBC reported.

According to residents, heavy bombardment followed the start of the military operation. The charity Medecins Sans Frontiers claimed at least 70 dead people had been brought to a local hospital since Tuesday, mostly women and children, the BBC reported.

The incident came as mediators from the US, Egypt and Qatar met in Doha and Cairo to discuss finalising a new ceasefire and hostage release agreement.

On Tuesday, the US said it was still awaiting a response from Hamas to an Israeli proposal outlined by US President Joe Biden last week.

According to the BBC, Qatar said it had handed over the plan to Hamas representatives and said it was still awaiting a clear position from the Israeli government.

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh said on Wednesday that the group would consider “seriously and positively” a proposal based on an end to the war and Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza.

Bureggi Refugee Camp

The smallest of Gaza’s eight historical refugee camps, Bureij covers an area of ​​0.5 square kilometres (0.2 square miles) and had 46,000 residents registered with the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) before the war, the BBC reports.

The Buregi refugee camp is along the Wadi Gaza River and just south of the IDF’s “Central Gaza Strip Corridor.” This is a section of land that is under the control of the Israeli army and stretches east to west from the Israeli border to the Mediterranean Sea, dividing Gaza in two.

According to the BBC, the Nuseirat and Maghazi refugee camps are also located near Bureij, while the town of Deir al-Balah lies about 5 km (3 miles) to the southwest.

Earlier this year, IDF troops launched a ground operation against Hamas fighters in camps in central Gaza that lasted several weeks.

Operation in Bureji aims to destroy terrorist infrastructure: IDF

On Wednesday, the IDF said the new “targeted” operation in Bureij and eastern Deir al-Balah was aimed at destroying “terrorist infrastructure located above and below ground several kilometers from Israel’s border,” as quoted by the BBC.

The IDF statement further said, “The activity began with a series of airstrikes against terrorist targets, including military compounds, weapons storage facilities, and underground infrastructure.”

Later, the IDF issued a new statement announcing that troops had “regained operational control” over eastern Bureij and eastern Deir al-Balah. It also said they had “cleared the terrorists” in the areas, destroyed rocket and mortar launchers, and located several tunnel shafts.