The town of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip remains the scene of fierce fighting that has already forced thousands to flee, while all eyes are on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, which could order Israel to limit its offensive in Gaza without being able to force it to do so. to do, writes AFP. On Friday, the 112th day of the war, the Israeli army announced that overnight attacks in Khan Yunis had continued and dozens of armed Hamas fighters had been killed.

The Israeli army (IDF) announced that fighting continued in Khan Younis, the ground forces of the 98th division destroyed dozens of armed Hamas fighters, and the air force launched a new wave of strikes, writes The Times of Israel.

Overnight, Israeli warplanes struck several Hamas targets in the Khan Younis neighborhood, including apartments used by the militants, weapons depots and observation posts, the Israeli army said, announcing that dozens of armed militants had been killed, The Times of Israel reported .

The international community is growing concerned: “Even the right to self-defense is subject to certain rules”

In the past few hours, the international community has expressed its concern about the civilian population in the southern Gaza Strip, especially in the Khan Younis area, where 13 people were killed on Wednesday when tanks shelled a shelter belonging to the United Nations Security Agency. Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). According to the UN, another 56 people were injured, 21 of them in a serious condition, the UN agency for Palestine refugees reports.

France followed the US in condemning the deadly attacks, asking Israel, without directly accusing it, to “respect international law”.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock said she was “extremely concerned” about the “desperate situation” of civilians in Khan Younis, the epicenter of the war in the south of the besieged Palestinian territory, asking Israel for a humanitarian ceasefire, AFP reported.

“Even the right to self-defense is subject to certain rules, and international humanitarian law also applies to the fight against terrorists. Israel must respect this, like all other states of the world, even in a difficult context where Hamas breaks all the rules and uses people as human shields,” said Annalena Burbok.

– How could I get out?

According to an AFP journalist, shelling continued Thursday in Khan Younis, where the local Hamas leadership is said to be hiding, according to the Israeli army, which has accused the Islamist movement of carrying out “terrorist attacks” in the area.

“We tried to get out, but when I looked outside, I saw that the tanks were firing. How could I get out? They didn’t give us any chance to leave. They said it was a safe place, but in the end they hit us at the UN facility,” wounded Palestinian Ahmad Katra told AFP from his hospital bed.

In recent days, thousands of people have fled Khan Younis, seeking refuge in Rafah, a city on the border with Egypt that is already home to most of the 1.7 million Palestinians displaced by the war.

Decisions are expected in the UN International Court of Justice

Faced with such high death tolls and daily destruction, South Africa last month filed an urgent request with the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging that Israel is in violation of the UN Genocide Convention, signed in 1948 after the Holocaust.

Without ruling on the merits, the UN’s top court will rule on urgent protection measures for Palestinians in Gaza on Friday afternoon. But although his orders are legally binding, the court has no means of enforcing them.

On Thursday, Hamas promised to abide by a cease-fire if ordered by that court in The Hague, provided Israel also abides by it.

The Israeli government has criticized the trial but says it is participating in negotiations for a Gaza deal that would include, among other things, the release of hostages in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

The head of the CIA in Europe will meet with his Israeli colleagues

The CIA chief will also travel to Europe to meet with his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts and Qatar’s prime minister in hopes of negotiating a truce and freeing hostages still being held by Hamas, the Washington Post and website reported Thursday. AFP.

William Burns, who has already made several trips since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, is to meet Mossad chief David Barnea, Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdelrahman Al-Thani, according to reports. The Washington Post and Axios said the trip is expected to take place in the coming days, but did not say where the meeting would take place.

Although he declined to confirm the information, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby recalled that William Burns was already involved in the negotiations on the hostage-taking agreement reached in late November, and noted that he is “participating in our efforts.” make another one.”

At the end of November, a week-long truce allowed the release of about a hundred hostages in exchange for at least 240 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Qatar, Egypt and the US are now trying to mediate to reach a new truce.

Brett McGurk, President Joe Biden’s Middle East adviser, is in the region this week for talks, the White House said.

According to Axios, Israel offered Hamas, brokered by Qatar and Egypt, a two-month pause in fighting in exchange for the release of all hostages. According to the Israeli authorities, there are still 132 hostages in the Gaza Strip, 28 of whom are believed to be dead.