Smoke rises following Israeli strikes in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, earlier this week.Credit: Mahdy Zourob/Reuters
Israeli strikes intensified across Gaza on Tuesday in some of the heaviest shelling in weeks, residents said. Strikes by air and shelling from tanks on the ground were also reported in central and southern areas of the Gaza Strip in what residents said late on Tuesday were almost 24 hours of non-stop bombardments.
Tuesday's bombardment came after incoming rocket alerts sounded in two southern Israeli border towns, although no casualties were reported.
The armed wing of Islamic Jihad, a group allied to Hamas, claimed responsibility for the attacks on Sderot and Nir Am, indicating fighters were still able to launch rockets almost 200 days into the war.
Shelling was intense east of Beit Hanoun and Jabalya and continued in areas such as Zeitun, one of Gaza City's oldest suburbs, with residents reporting at least 10 strikes in a matter of seconds along the main road.
"The bombing from tanks and planes didn't stop," said Um Mohammad, 53, a mother of six living 700 meters from Zeitun. "I had to gather with my children and my sisters who came to shelter with me in one place and pray for our lives as the house kept shaking," she told Reuters via a chat app.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded to the resignation of Israel's head of military intelligence, Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, writing on X that "It is good that Haliva resigned and took responsibility, this is an opportunity for real change and correction in the structure of the senior command in the IDF."
He continued, "Therefore, it can't be allowed that the Chief of Staff and those who failed [on October 7] be the ones to appoint the replacements, who will be in their likeness and image. We need a new command from among the commanders who have proven themselves under fire in order to establish a large, offensive and deadly army." Smotrich is the first minister to respond to Haliva's announcement.
Minister Matan Kahana responded to Smotrich's comments, and wrote: "It is good that Haliva resigned and took responsibility. I guess more will follow. It's a shame that only the military ranks understand what responsibility means."
Kahana went on to say that "Real change and reform will come only after the failed government takes responsibility, resigns and returns the mandate to the people. The October 7 tragedy happened under the responsibility of the worst government in the country's history. In a civilized world, responsibility should not be taken – liability is built in by its very nature. It's amazing that the prime minister and the ministers of the coalition don't understand this."