GAZA: Israeli air strikes and ground operations rattled northern Gaza on Saturday, marking the third consecutive day of intense military actions that have forced tens of thousands of Palestinians to flee their homes, exacerbating what the United Nations called “unbearable” living conditions in the besieged territory, AFP reported.
Explosions and gunfire were reported in the Shujaiya area near Gaza City, where residents witnessed bodies strewn on the streets amidst ongoing bombardment by Israeli forces.
The Israeli military confirmed its operations in Shujaiya, stating they were conducting offensives “above and below the ground,”. The operation left a “large number” of Palestinian civilians dead.
The resurgence of Israeli military activity in northern Gaza comes after a declaration by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last Sunday that the “intense phase” of the conflict was winding down, despite renewed hostilities.
The Gaza war has also led to soaring tensions on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, leading Iran on Saturday to warn of an “obliterating” war if Israel attacked Lebanon.
Since October 7 last year, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza killing at least 37,834 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to data from the health ministry in Gaza. It reported at least 69 deaths over the previous 48 hours.
Mohammed Harara, 30, recounted the harrowing experience of fleeing his home in Shujaiya with his family amidst relentless Israeli bombardment. “We left everything behind—food, mattresses, blankets—due to the relentless Israeli air, tank, and drone attacks,” he lamented.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimated that between 60,000 to 80,000 people have been displaced from their homes in northern Gaza this week alone.
Images captured by AFPTV showed scenes of displacement, with residents moving their belongings on donkey carts and children walking past debris-filled streets. The civil defence agency reported retrieving four bodies from an apartment hit by an Israeli strike in central Gaza, while further south in Rafah, witnesses reported casualties following another Israeli incursion.
The escalation in Gaza has also heightened tensions along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, where the Hezbollah movement has engaged in near-daily exchanges of fire with Israeli forces. Recent bellicose rhetoric and military actions have raised fears of a wider regional conflict.
Meanwhile, Iran’s mission to the United Nations condemned Israeli threats against Lebanon as “psychological warfare,” warning of an “obliterating” war involving “all resistance fronts” if hostilities escalate further.
In Yemen, Houthis have intensified their attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea area, claiming solidarity with Palestinians. The US military has responded with airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, destroying drones and a control station vehicle.
Humanitarian conditions in Gaza have deteriorated drastically, with UN spokesperson Louise Wateridge describing the situation as dire upon her return to the territory. She highlighted severe shortages of water, sanitation, and food, with displaced families forced to inhabit damaged and abandoned buildings without basic amenities.
The United Nations and international community continue to call for an immediate ceasefire and renewed diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and alleviate the humanitarian crisis affecting civilians on both sides of the conflict.
