JERUSALEM (Reuters): Israel’s Military Spokesperson Daniel Hagari said on Tuesday that the military was “ready and determined” for the next stage in the war and was awaiting political instruction.
He said Israel was learning from US experience in the Middle East but “our war is on our borders, not thousands of miles from Israel,” adding that he was expecting weeks of fighting ahead.
Hagari said Egypt was playing a key role in negotiations for the release of hostages from Gaza, which he said was a top priority for Israel.
The Israeli military said it struck a Hamas target in a Gaza refugee camp that the Palestinian enclave’s health ministry said killed or wounded dozens of people late on Monday.
A spokesperson for the military said the strike targeted a staging ground for Hamas in Gaza’s Al-Shati camp, which abuts the Mediterranean coastline. The spokesperson did not provide further details.
In a statement on Facebook, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra said casualties in the Israeli attack included children and women. He did not provide further details.
Palestinian media reported that five people were killed in the camp.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the reports.