Israeli troops are now operating inside Gaza City, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also said they have killed "thousands of terrorists, from above and under the ground." Meantime, dozens of civilians evacuated to the southern part of the enclave during a four-hour window allotted by the Israel Defense Forces. Some people carried white flags, signaling their hope for a safe passage, video shows. Israel is under mounting international pressure to consider a humanitarian pause in its campaign against Hamas in Gaza but the Israeli army insists there will be no ceasefire and it is prepared to strike the militant group "wherever necessary," including civilian infrastructure if Hamas is using it. The IDF said it has "attacked over 14,000 terrorist targets" in the past month, eliminating many Hamas militants and destroying key infrastructure and weapons. Eyewitnesses described multiple explosions caused by Israeli airstrikes in central and southern Gaza on Tuesday. In the north, IDF troops are at the "heart of Gaza City" and targeting Hamas commanders, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said. Netanyahu later said "Gaza City is encircled" and the IDF are "operating in it" and "advancing the pressure applied on Hamas every hour and every day." A total of 637 foreign nationals were evacuated from Gaza to Egypt through the Rafah border crossing on Tuesday, an Egyptian official said. It's the highest daily number since evacuations began last week. In addition, 15 wounded Palestinians arrived in Egypt for treatment through the crossing, the official added. More than 70% of the 10,305 people killed in Gaza since October 7 were children, women, and the elderly, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah said in a report Tuesday. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder defended the accuracy of the death toll numbers being reported out of Gaza, saying the organization's numbers closely align with that of the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in the enclave. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Israeli strikes on civilian infrastructure in Gaza are "disproportionate" and "not acceptable," specifically referencing an Israeli attack on the Jabalya refugee camp. A Kremlin spokesperson called for "humanitarian pauses," expressing deep concern over the "catastrophic" humanitarian situation. The UN Secretary-General also reiterated his calls for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire." IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that there would be no ceasefire and repeated Israel's claim that Hamas is using "its population as a human shield." — CNN
