Battle at Tel al-Hawa
| Battle at Tel al-Hawa | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the siege of Gaza City during the Israel-Hamas war | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Israel |
 Hamas Palestinian Islamic Jihad Palestinian Mujahideen Movement | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
|
Al Qassam Brigades Al-Quds Brigades Mujahideen Brigades | |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
Per Hamas: Dozens of soldiers killed or wounded[1] |
 Unknown | ||||||
The Battle of Tel al-Hawa was a 4-day military battle between Israel and the Hamas-led Palestinian forces during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, in the neighborhood of Tel al-Hawa in Gaza City. It lasted from 8 July 2024[2] to 12 July 2024,[3] and ended in an Israeli withdrawal from most of Tel al-Hawa.[3][4]
Background
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had begun an ongoing general siege of Gaza City on 2 November 2023 as part of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, itself a response to the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel which began the war.
In February 2024, the IDF killed Hind Rajab, a six-year old Palestinian girl, in Tel al-Hawa, along with six other family members and two paramedics from the Palestine Red Crescent Society who were coming to rescue her. The girl and her family had been fleeing from the neighborhood.[5]
Battle and aftermath
The IDF invasion of Tel al-Hawa began on 8 July with a large wave of airstrikes followed by a ground offensive. During this time, the IDF was also still operating in Shuja'iyya, another Gaza City neighborhood.[2]
During the battle, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement fought IDF troops, detonating explosive devices and firing shells and rockets.[3][6] During one engagement, the IDF fought Palestinian militants who had fortified themselves inside an abandoned UNRWA compound.[3]
On 12 July, the IDF withdrew from Tel al-Hawa. It was reported that dozens of Palestinians had been killed,[4] and there was significant infrastructural damage.[3] However, it was reported that IDF snipers and tanks remained in "control [of] some high ground", warning residents against trying to return.[3]
References
- ^ "Hamas' armed wing claims killings of Israeli soldiers in Gaza-Xinhua".
- ^ a b Fabian, Emanuel (8 July 2024). "IDF troops advance into Gaza City's Tel al-Hawa neighborhood – Palestinian media reports". The Times of Israel.
- ^ a b c d e f Al-Mughrabi, Nidal; Abu Alkas, Dawoud (12 July 2024). "Rescuers say they find dozens of bodies after Israelis scale back Gaza City fight with Hamas". Reuters.
- ^ a b "Emergency workers uncover dozens of bodies in a Gaza City district after Israeli assault". AP News. 2024-07-12. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
- ^ "'They killed her twice': Hind Rajab's mother mourns girl, 6, found killed days after being trapped under Israeli fire". NBC News. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
- ^ "Israeli army struggles in northern Gaza". Tehran Times. 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-07-14.