GAZA CITY: Israeli military forces intensified aerial and ground attacks across Gaza City on Thursday, triggering mass civilian displacement towards southern areas already overwhelmed by humanitarian crises.
The Israeli army confirmed four soldiers died from an explosive device detonation in Rafah, underscoring the ongoing combat operations occurring simultaneously in multiple regions.
Palestinian civilians described desperate evacuation efforts under continuous bombardment, with many families fleeing on foot, in vehicles, and on overloaded donkey carts carrying minimal possessions.
“There is artillery fire, air strikes, quadcopter and drone gunfire. The bombing never stops,“ said Aya Ahmed, a 32-year-old woman sheltering with 13 relatives in Gaza City.
Evacuation costs have become prohibitively expensive for many families, with some reports indicating transport fees exceeding $1,000 for the dangerous journey southward.
The United Nations estimates approximately one million people resided in Gaza City and surrounding areas before the latest offensive, with Israel claiming 350,000 have already fled.
World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that hospitals were “on the brink of collapse” as violence prevents delivery of critical medical supplies.
Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital reported receiving 33 bodies of people killed in Israeli strikes since midnight, though independent verification remains challenging due to media restrictions.
Hamas’s armed wing issued a statement threatening fierce resistance, declaring “Gaza will be a cemetery for your soldiers” in response to the military operations.
The offensive occurs amid diplomatic tensions, with the United States vetoing another UN Security Council ceasefire resolution while several Western nations prepare to recognise Palestinian statehood.
US President Donald Trump acknowledged having a “disagreement” with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer regarding the planned UN recognition during his visit to Britain.
A separate incident at the Allenby crossing between the West Bank and Jordan resulted in two Israeli soldiers killed by a Jordanian aid truck driver, prompting Israel to call for halting aid shipments from Jordan.
The families of hostages taken during the October 2023 attack protested outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Jerusalem residence, accusing the government of endangering captives through military operations.
According to Israeli figures, 47 hostages remain in Gaza from the original 251 taken, with 25 confirmed dead by military assessment.
The conflict has resulted in 1,219 deaths from the initial attack according to AFP tallies, while Gaza’s health ministry reports 65,141 Palestinians killed in Israel’s retaliatory campaign. – AFP