By Zein Khalil
JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army has acknowledged that its forces are engaged in a “complex fighting” against Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip.
“We are fighting in a complex area, above ground and underground, with an enemy that has prepared for a long time to defend in an organized manner,” Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said.
“There are population and many homes, which make the area very complex for combat," Halevi said in a video released by the army featuring him addressing his soldiers in the Gaza Strip.
"We are engaged in a long-running war on many fronts; we have many challenges," he added.
Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas which Tel Aviv says killed around 1,200 people.
At least 23,357 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 59,410 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.
About 85% of Gazans have been displaced, while all of the population is food insecure, according to the UN. Hundreds of thousands of people are living without shelter, and less than half of the aid trucks are entering the territory than before the start of the conflict.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Ankara