As Israel works to free the 48 hostages and drive Hamas from power, the Israeli Air Force struck over 500 targets in Gaza City this week in five main waves, as part of preparations for an upcoming major ground offensive against one of Hamas' last remaining strongholds.

The strikes have targeted several high-rise towers that were being used by Hamas for surveillance, as sniper posts, to store weapons, and some of which had tunnels running underneath them.

Ahead of the strikes, the IDF issued warnings to civilians in the area — using voice messages, leaflets, text messages and phone calls in Arabic — even though such tactics inevitably also alert Hamas of the impending targets.

Meanwhile, Israel is working to further expand aid into Gaza, as Gazan civilians continue to move south amid IDF warnings.

The IDF is working to expand the Kissufim Crossing in southern Gaza for an increase in humanitarian aid as part of its efforts to facilitate the evacuation of Gaza City ahead of IDF operations there.

Once finished, the crossing’s capacity will increase to 150 trucks per day — three times the current level, with an emphasis on food aid.

Meanwhile, Israel is facilitating Egypt’s request to airdrop humanitarian aid into central and southern Gaza to get additional supplies to civilians leaving Gaza City.

Israel has also offered Syria the opportunity to send humanitarian aid into Gaza as part of ongoing security arrangement discussions.

Hamas could end the war today if it would lay down its arms, release the hostages, and surrender. Instead, it is prolonging the suffering of Israelis and Palestinians alike. 

The United States must increase the pressure on Hamas and its sponsors in Qatar, Turkey and Iran to release all the hostages.

Today, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a declaration outlining “tangible, time-bound and irreversible steps” toward the creation of a Palestinian state.

The vote passed 142-10, with 12 countries abstaining. Joining Israel and the United States in opposing the resolution were Argentina, Hungary, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Tonga. 

In explaining the U.S. vote, Senior Counselor to the U.S. Mission to the U.N. Morgan Ortagus said:
 

"U.S. opposition to this resolution should come as no surprise...

"The United States will not participate in this insult to the victims of October 7, but we will continue to lead real-world efforts to end the fighting and to deliver a permanent peace.

"We should be focused on how to end the war and eliminate and disarm Hamas.

"This war could end tomorrow if Hamas was disarmed, released hostages, and surrendered. But Hamas continues to refuse."

Today's vote comes ahead of the one-day U.N. conference on unilateral Palestinian statehood recognition, due to be held in New York immediately before the U.N. General Assembly high level week, when a number of states -- including France, the U.K., Canada and Australia -- will formally recognize the state of Palestine.

The Department of the Treasury has targeted the Houthis with the largest-ever sanctions package against the Iranian-backed terror group. The 32 targeted individuals and entities, along with the four vessels listed, contribute to the group’s “global illicit fundraising, smuggling, and weapons procurement operations.”

“Those targeted today finance and facilitate the Houthis’ acquisition of advanced military-grade materials, including ballistic missile, cruise missile, and unmanned aerial vehicle components, used to attack United States forces and our allies, as well as commercial shipping in the Red Sea,” the Treasury Department said in a statement.

Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley said, “The Houthis continue to threaten U.S. personnel and assets in the Red Sea, attack our allies in the region, and undermine international maritime security in coordination with the Iranian regime. We will continue applying maximum pressure against those who threaten the security of the United States and the region.”