JERUSALEM: The Israeli military has officially declared Gaza City a dangerous combat zone ahead of an impending offensive to capture the Palestinian territory’s largest urban centre.
This declaration comes after nearly two years of devastating conflict that has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s population and prompted the United Nations to declare a famine in the region.
The Israeli military is preparing to intensify operations despite growing international and domestic pressure to end the offensive in Gaza.
Arabic-language military spokesman Avichay Adraee stated on social media platform X that “we are not waiting” regarding the planned expansion of military activities.
“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,“ Adraee wrote.
The United Nations estimates that approximately one million people currently reside in Gaza governorate, which encompasses Gaza City and its surrounding northern areas.
An official army statement confirmed that Gaza City now “constitutes a dangerous combat zone” and that daily humanitarian pauses for aid distribution will no longer apply in this area.
Although the military has not issued immediate evacuation orders, Adraee previously indicated that the city’s evacuation was “inevitable” during earlier communications this week.
Footage from southern Gaza City showed Palestinians searching through building wreckage following Israeli airstrikes on Friday.
Mohammed Abu Qamar, a 42-year-old originally from Jabalia camp in northern Gaza, expressed his anguish while moving southward through the conflict zone.
“We don’t want to leave our home. We’re exhausted, driven north and south with no relief,“ he told reporters by telephone.
“Death is closing in around us. We walk on the road, not knowing if we’ll reach safety or die halfway there.”
Visual documentation from Thursday showed displaced Palestinians fleeing southward with vehicles overloaded with mattresses, chairs, and personal belongings.
The Israeli defence ministry body overseeing civil affairs in Palestinian territories confirmed preparations “for moving the population southward for their protection” in an official statement.
Humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza have issued warnings against expanding military operations in the densely populated urban area.
Abdul Karim Al-Damagh, a 64-year-old displaced for the fifth time since the conflict began, described his continued suffering while moving south.
“Today, once again, I must abandon what remains of my home and memories… The south may be a bit quieter than here, but it’s not safe — fear chases us, and death is always near,“ he stated.
“All we ask for is mercy. I want to die with my head held high, not standing in a water line or behind a bag of flour.”
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz recently vowed to destroy Gaza City unless Hamas accepts Israel’s terms for ending the conflict.
The defence ministry has approved military plans to seize the city and authorised the call-up of approximately 60,000 reservists to support the operation.
Military spokesman Adraee reiterated that operations would intensify until all hostages are returned and Hamas is dismantled “militarily and politically.”
The Israeli military simultaneously announced the recovery of two hostages’ remains during operations in Gaza, including Ilan Weiss from kibbutz Beeri.
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, 47 remain in Gaza with approximately 20 believed to be still alive.
Gaza’s civil defence agency reported 33 people killed by Israeli forces across the territory on Friday, though the Israeli military stated it was “checking” these reports.
Media restrictions and access difficulties prevent independent verification of casualty figures provided by either side in the conflict.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently condemned the “endless catalogue of horrors” in Gaza while calling for accountability and warning of potential war crimes.
The United Nations declared a famine in Gaza governorate last week, citing “systematic obstruction” of humanitarian aid deliveries by Israeli authorities.
Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in 1,219 fatalities, mostly civilians, according to tallies based on Israeli figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 62,966 Palestinians, predominantly civilians, according to health ministry figures from Hamas-run Gaza that the UN considers reliable. – AFP