UN Kicks As Israel Begins Offensive For Gaza Takeover
Palestinians are fleeing parts of Gaza City after Israeli troops began the first phase of a ground assault aimed at capturing the entire territory.
The operation has drawn condemnation from the United Nations and humanitarian groups.
Residents reported relentless bombardment overnight into Thursday as Israeli forces pushed into the outskirts of Zeitoun and Jabalia, establishing positions following days of artillery fire and air strikes.
Gaza’s civil defence agency said at least 25 people were killed on Wednesday, including three children and their parents, whose home in Shati refugee camp was bombed.
“The house shakes with us all night long — the sound of explosions, artillery, warplanes, ambulances, and cries for help is killing us,” Ahmad al-Shanti, a Gaza City resident, told AFP.
Another displaced civilian, Amal Abdel-Aal, also told AFP that, “No one in Gaza has slept. The sky flashes all night long.”
The Israeli military confirmed that brigades were already operating in Zeitoun and Jabalia to prepare for the plan.
Defence Minister Israel Katz approved the plan earlier this week, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to “shorten the timelines” for seizing what he called “the last terror strongholds” in Gaza.
UN Secretary General António Guterres warned that the assault would “inevitably cause death and destruction,” urging an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of hostages held by Hamas.
The International Committee of the Red Cross also cautioned that intensified fighting risked worsening Gaza’s already “catastrophic” humanitarian situation, threatening civilians and hostages alike.
Meanwhile, France’s President Emmanuel Macron said the planned takeover “can only lead to disaster for both peoples and risks plunging the region into a cycle of permanent war.”
Despite international criticism, Israel insists it is pressing ahead, with 60,000 reserve troops set to be called up in September to free active-duty soldiers for the offensive.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza City are expected to face evacuation orders as the campaign continues.
UN Kicks As Israel Begins Offensive For Gaza Takeover is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
