Israeli soldiers were captured in a photo posing with guns and Israeli flags inside Gaza's parliament building as they prepared for an operation to free 239 hostages held by Hamas in the tunnels. The authenticity of the photo, released by the Israel Defence Forces, is yet to be confirmed, but the IDF stated that they have no reason to doubt its genuineness.
Israel's Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, declared that Hamas had lost control, asserting that no force from Hamas could impede the IDF's advance. He mentioned that the IDF was progressing to every point, and the situation indicated a loss of control by the Hamas organization in Gaza. Civilians were reported looting Hamas bases, expressing a lack of confidence in the government.
The IDF was reportedly finalizing plans to storm tunnel networks in Gaza to free the hostages, as hopes for a diplomatic resolution with Hamas dwindled. Gershon Baskin, involved in the last hostage exchange with Hamas in 2011, stated that negotiations for the hostages' release were at a critical moment, and military operations might commence if no agreement was reached within the next few days or even hours.
On Tuesday, the IDF announced the capture of several Hamas governmental sites in Gaza City, engaging in fierce battles with Hamas gunmen. The military also maintained humanitarian corridors for civilian evacuation to the southern part of the Strip. Despite ongoing rocket fire from Gaza targeting southern Israel, the IDF's ground operation resulted in a death toll of 46 soldiers.
Reports emerged that seven babies had died in Gaza's largest hospital, surrounded by Israeli troops. Hamas' Deputy Health Minister, Youssef Abu Rish, claimed that 27 adult patients at Al Shifa hospital had also died due to fuel shortages since the weekend.
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