Israel strikes ‘terrorist compound’ under West Bank mosque; US pushes for more aid

Israeli forces said they conducted an aerial strike on a compound located beneath a mosque in the occupied West Bank on Sunday.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the compound was being used by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad to “plan and execute terrorist attacks”.

Meanwhile, even as Israel prepares to intensify its attack on the Gaza Strip, US President Joe Biden welcomed the arrival of 20 aid trucks to the enclave and said Washington was committed to ensuring more assistance would enter via the Rafah border crossing.

The Palestinian health ministry said the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 4,469 while 1,400 people were killed in the Hamas attacks on Israel.

Here are the top points from the Israel-Hamas war:
A compound located beneath the al-Ansar Mosque, in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank was the target of an Israeli airstrike. According to the Israeli military, the compound was being used by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and they were organising “an imminent terror attack”.

The Israel Defense Forces released images that it said showed an entrance to a bunker under the mosque. It also released a diagram that it said showed where militants had stored weapons there.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said at least one Palestinian was killed and three others were injured in the strike.

According to Palestinian officials, at least 84 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank in clashes with Israeli forces since October 7, when Hamas launched its surprise attack.

Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military is preparing to step up its strikes on the enclave to increase pressure on the Hamas group. IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said on Saturday night that Israel was planning to enter “the next phase of the war”.

In a briefing to Israeli reporters, Hagari said the attacks on Gaza City will be increased and added, “For your own safety move southward.”

Palestinian media reported at least 11 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. Palestinian media also said Israel was striking the southern city of Rafah.

As Israel prepares for its ground attack on Gaza, the US on Saturday proposed a draft UN Security Council resolution that says Israel has a right to defend itself. The draft also demanded Iran stop exporting arms to “militias and terrorist groups threatening peace and security across the region.”

This comes after US President Joe Biden launched an urgent mission to get Americans behind billions more dollars in spending for Israel and Ukraine.

Abu Ubaida, the spokesman for Hamas’ armed wing, said on Saturday that it wanted to release two more hostages along with the two American citizens but the Israeli government refused to accept them. Two US citizens, Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie, were released by the Palestinian group on “humanitarian grounds”.

Ubeida said it informed Qatar about Hamas’ intention to release two additional people “without expecting anything in return” but Israel refused. Israel denied Hamas’ claim and described it as “propaganda”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said, “We will continue to do everything necessary to bring all the captives and missing back home.”