The 41st day of war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas saw control of the western part of Gaza City, the main population center of the Gaza Strip, by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the beginning of a new phase of the ground operation. The Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, has in fact announced that after having taken control of the Al Shifa hospital, in the north of Gaza, the next objectives of the IDF ground operation could move towards the south of the enclave.