GAZA CITY: The Israeli army intensified its offensive on Gaza City on Wednesday and ordered all residents to evacuate the besieged territory as airstrikes and ground operations continued to target Palestinian territories.
According to reports from medical sources and military officials, Israeli forces launched multiple deadly strikes across Gaza, including targeting a building of a UN agency. Early Wednesday, casualties were reported from Israeli bombings in Nuseirat and Bani Suhaila, resulting in several deaths and injuries, as hospitals scrambled to treat the wounded.
Tens of thousands of residents have fled Gaza City since the Israeli army launched its latest offensive, particularly in the eastern Shujaiya district, where fierce ground offensives continued. Israel has been progressively issuing evacuation orders since June 27, covering various districts where tanks and troops have now moved in.
On Wednesday, the Israeli army airdropped leaflets via aircrafts in Gaza City, ordering all residents to evacuate to shelters in Deir Al-Balah and Al-Zawiya. However, these so-called shelters are no longer safe from Israeli bombardment as several refugee camps have been bombed in the territory since October 7.
Israeli strikes have also hit Deir Al-Balah, an area where Palestinians have been urged to move to for safety.
The United Nations expressed alarm over the evacuation orders, warning that they direct Palestinians to areas affected by the ongoing conflict. Meanwhile, talks between Israeli officials and mediators in Qatar are underway in an effort to negotiate a ceasefire and release of hostages amid the escalating violence that has gripped the region since October 7.
In a statement, the Israeli military justified its overnight strike on a UN agency building, claiming it was being utilized as a base for attacks on Israeli troops.
Since October 7 last year, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza killing at least 38,243 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to figures released Tuesday by the health ministry.
Meanwhile, Tuesday’s deadly strike near the Al-Awda school in Abasan, near Khan Younis, brought new condemnation from Hamas over the Israeli military tactics. The Hamas government said a “majority” of the dead were women and children.
It was the fourth time in four days that Gaza school buildings sheltering the displaced had been hit.
