Gaza City now a dangerous combat zone, says Israel army

Following nearly two years of deadly war, the Israeli military labeled Gaza City “a dangerous combat zone” today, ahead of an impending offensive to seize the Palestinian territory’s major city.

According to AFP, Israel is facing rising domestic and international pressure to cease its offensive in Gaza, where the vast majority of the population has been uprooted at least once. The United Nations has declared a famine.

The Israeli military, on the other hand, is preparing to escalate the conflict and conquer Gaza City, with an Arabic-language spokesman warning today, “We will not wait.

“We have begun preliminary operations and the initial stages of the attack on Gaza City, and we are currently operating with great force on the outskirts of the city,” Avichay Adraee told X.

The UN estimates that roughly a million people live in the Gaza governorate, which comprises Gaza City and its surrounds in the territory’s north.

Last week, the UN declared a famine in Gaza, blaming it on Israel’s “systematic obstruction” of humanitarian food delivery.

According to an army statement issued today, Gaza City “constitutes a dangerous combat zone” moving forward, and daily pauses in military operations that previously allowed for limited food delivery will no longer apply.

The military did not order the people to evacuate immediately, but Adraee stated earlier this week that the city’s evacuation was “inevitable”.

Today, footage from southern Gaza City showed Palestinians digging through the ruins of a structure following an Israeli hit.

Mohammed Abu Qamar, 42, of the Jabalia camp in northern Gaza, said his “heart is burning” as he traveled south.

“We do not want to leave our house. “We’re exhausted,” he told our correspondent over the telephone. “Death is closing in around us.”

‘Fear follows us’

COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry organization in charge of civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, stated in a statement yesterday that it was preparing to “move the population southward for their protection.”

Aid organizations on the ground have advised against escalating the military campaign.

Abdul Karim Al-Damagh, 64, informed our correspondent that he was traveling south and that he had been moved five times before.

“I am forced to depart my home and memories once more. “The south may be quieter than here, but it is not safe; fear pursues us, and death is always close,” he remarked.

According to spokesman Adraee, the military would escalate its strikes until all hostages in Gaza are returned and Hamas is dismantled “militarily and politically”.

The military said it found the remains of two hostages during an operation in Gaza.

It recognized one as Ilan Weiss, who was killed in the Hamas attack that sparked the conflict, and his body was transported to Gaza. The second hostage’s name has not yet been disclosed.

Hamas warned Israel that its upcoming onslaught in Gaza City would expose hostages to the “same risks” as its soldiers.

“We will do our best to care for the prisoners, and they will be with our fighters in combat and confrontation zones, facing the same risks and living conditions,” said Abu Obeida, a spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing.

Of the 251 hostages captured during the October 2023 attack, 47 are still being kept in Gaza, with approximately 20 believed to be alive.

– ‘Endless’ horrors.

According to Gaza’s civil defense service, Israeli soldiers killed at least 40 Palestinians across the region today.

When asked for reply by our correspondent, the Israeli military requested coordinates to investigate the reports.

Due to media restrictions in Gaza and limited access to many localities, our correspondent is unable to independently verify the tolls and data provided by the civil defense organization or the Israeli military.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has slammed the “endless catalogue of horrors” in Gaza, calling for accountability and warning of possible war crimes.

Turkey announced today that it has closed its ports and airspace to Israeli ships and planes, with a diplomatic source telling our correspondent that the restriction applies to “official” flights.

Hamas applauded the decision and encouraged nations around the world to “escalate punitive measures” against Israel in order to force it to halt its attack.

According to an Israeli-based calculation, Hamas’s October 2023 attack killed 1,219 individuals, the majority of whom were civilians.

According to UN-accepted numbers from the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza, Israel’s retaliatory operation has killed at least 63,025 Palestinians, the majority of whom are civilians.