As the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation enters its third day, rocket fire on the Gaza Strip continues unabated. Al-Qassam Brigades announced the launch of a new barrage of rockets towards Tel Aviv and Jerusalem "in response to the Israeli bombardment," which led to the declaration of a state of emergency in Jerusalem and the Gush Dan and Sharon areas. Israeli Infrastructure Minister Israel Katz stated that he ordered an immediate cut to all water supplies to the Gaza Strip as the fighting escalated with Palestinian militants. He added via "X": "What was in the past will not continue in the future."
Hamas revealed that the Israeli bombardment last night and today on the Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of 4 Israeli prisoners and their captors from Al-Qassam Brigades. The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip reported that dozens of casualties occurred in an Israeli airstrike on the Jabalia refugee camp in the strip today, Monday. Israeli warships are bombarding the Gaza coast, and the army is shelling residential areas in northern, eastern, and northwestern Gaza.
For the first time, Al-Qassam Brigades unveiled its domestically-made air defense system "Mutabir 1," which was used to counter Israeli aircraft during the battle. They also released a video showing scenes of targeting Israeli army aircraft with surface-to-air missiles. In this context, the Israeli army announced that they have called up 300,000 reserve soldiers in the largest mobilization ever and have deployed tanks in 20 locations near the Gaza border. They reported that they "regained control over the population centers around the Gaza Strip," stating that "some Palestinian militants remain on Israeli territory, leading to sporadic clashes" and indicated that "there is no fighting in the north and we are prepared for any scenario."
The Israeli army urged residents of the large and small Abasan areas and Khuza’a to leave and head to the center of Khan Younis in preparation for bombardment. The Israeli army announced today, Monday, that Hamas launched 3,284 rockets from Gaza at Israel since the onset of their attack on Saturday, noting that they have targeted 653 Hamas sites since the operation began. Israel confirmed the number of Israeli fatalities has risen to 800, with 2,400 injured. The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported today that 560 Palestinians were killed, and 2,900 others were injured in airstrikes carried out by Israel since Saturday in the besieged strip. The head of ambulance services in Gaza indicated that "we are facing a humanitarian situation that has not been witnessed in Gaza for 20 years."
UNRWA revealed that a school run by the agency housing displaced families in Gaza suffered severe damage after being directly bombed. Additionally, the Israeli Energy Ministry announced that "Israel has temporarily suspended production from the Tamar gas field and will seek other fuel sources to meet its energy needs." In this context, a spokesman for Chevron indicated that "the company received instructions from the Israeli Energy Ministry to shut down operations in the Tamar gas field in the Mediterranean off the northern coast of Israel," adding in a statement: "Chevron has received instructions from the Israeli Energy Ministry to cease operations from the Tamar production platform."
Israeli troops continue to engage with Palestinian militants in positions surrounding Gaza, with Israeli warplanes launching new airstrikes early today followed by artillery shelling. Palestinian factions targeted Ashkelon with dozens of rockets. These field developments come amid expectations from American officials that Tel Aviv will carry out a ground incursion into Gaza within 48 hours.
