Israeli forces reach coastline near Gaza City

While Antony Blinken was speaking in Baghdad, Israel’s military spokesman Daniel Hagari updated the media on their operation in Gaza. He says:

• IDF forces have “surrounded” Gaza City
• Troops have reached the coastline, effectively dividing the Strip into “Gaza North and Gaza South”
• Israel is still “allowing a corridor” for the residents of the northern Gaza Strip and Gaza City to go south
• Israel “will continue to attack strongly and continue to intensify our ground operation in the northern Gaza Strip and greater Gaza City”
  As a reminder, the Hamas-run health ministry says almost 10,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel started its campaign there, in response to the Hamas attacks of 7 October.