Israel-Gaza latest: Israel says its forces have encircled Gaza City; US flying drones to search for hostages

 Israel-Gaza conflict enters new phase as Israel encircles Gaza City

November 3, 2023

The Israel-Gaza conflict entered a new phase on Friday, as Israel announced that its forces had encircled Gaza City. This is a major development in the 28-day conflict, which has killed thousands of people and displaced hundreds of thousands more.

The Israeli army said it had established a ground bridge south of Gaza City and captured neighborhoods in the east and west of the city. It also captured Khan Yunis, a major stronghold of Palestinian resistance groups fighting Hamas.

The United States has begun flying drones over Gaza to search for hostages. U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the United States was closely monitoring the situation of hostages in Gaza. "We will do everything we can to rescue the hostages," Kirby said.

The conflict has so far killed 9,611 Palestinians, including 2,326 women and 3,760 children. In Israel, 12 civilians have been killed.

Israel and Hamas have been negotiating a ceasefire, but the talks have so far been unsuccessful due to mistrust between the two sides.

Here are some additional details about the latest developments in the conflict:

• Israel's ground forces are now within a few kilometers of the center of Gaza City.
• The Israeli army says it has captured or destroyed hundreds of Hamas rocket launchers.
• The United States has offered to mediate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The conflict has sparked international condemnation, with many countries calling for an end to the violence.

The United Nations has called for a ceasefire and has urged both sides to return to the negotiating table.

The conflict is a major humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes.

The United Nations says that more than 2 million people in Gaza are in need of humanitarian assistance.