Fierce battles continue in the streets of Gaza City, where fighters from Hamas have utilized tunnels to ambush Israeli forces. Meanwhile, Washington has stated that Palestinians should govern Gaza after the war, following Israeli assertions that it would control security in the territory indefinitely. The Israeli army announced that its forces advanced into the center of Gaza City, the main stronghold of Hamas and the largest city in the coastal strip, while the movement claimed that its fighters inflicted heavy losses on Israeli troops.
The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, released a video yesterday appearing to show intense street battles amid bombed buildings in Gaza City. Sources from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movement reported that Israeli tanks faced fierce resistance from Hamas fighters who used the tunnels for ambushes. Israel has been heavily bombing Gaza in retaliation for an attack by Hamas fighters across the border into southern Israel on October 7, during which 1,400 people, mostly civilians, were killed and about 240 hostages were taken according to Israeli statistics. Palestinian officials reported that 10,569 people have been killed due to Israeli bombardment as of yesterday, with 40 percent being children. Israel claims that 33 of its soldiers have been killed.
**Governance Led by Palestinians**
As the war between Israel and Hamas enters its second month, Washington has begun discussions with Israeli and Arab leaders regarding the future of Gaza without Hamas in power. While no concrete plan has emerged yet, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken outlined Washington's expectations for the besieged coastal region. Blinken stated yesterday in a press conference in Tokyo, "There will be no reoccupation of Gaza after the conflict. No attempts to choke Gaza or besiege it. No reduction of Gaza's territory." He added that there may need to be "some transitional period" at the end of the conflict, but governance after the crisis in Gaza should involve "Palestinian-led governance and the unification of Gaza with the West Bank under the leadership of the Palestinian Authority."
