Israel expands Gaza City offensive, residents face bombardment and famine

Israeli planes and tanks blasted the eastern and northern borders of Gaza City overnight Saturday and Sunday, demolishing houses and homes, according to residents, as Israeli authorities pledged to push on with their planned onslaught on the city.

Witnesses claimed nonstop explosions overnight in Zeitoun and Shejaia, while tanks blasted houses and roads in the nearby Sabra district and blew up many structures in the northern town of Jabalia.

The Israeli military announced on Sunday that its forces have returned to battle in the Jabalia area in recent days to remove insurgent tunnels and strengthen control.

It further stated that the operation “enables the expansion of combat into additional areas and prevents Hamas terrorists from returning to operate in these areas.”

This month, Israel approved a plan to seize control of Gaza City, which it describes as Hamas’ last bastion. It is not likely to begin for many weeks, giving mediators Egypt and Qatar time to try to restart cease-fire talks between the two sides.

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Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, promised on Sunday to continue on with the offensive, which has sparked concern overseas and opposition at home. On Friday, Katz stated that Gaza City will be destroyed unless Hamas agrees to terminate the war on Israel’s terms and free all hostages.

Fire lit the skies from the direction of the explosions, causing panic, prompting some families to stream out of the city. Others said they would prefer to die and not leave.

‘We are not leaving’

Around half of the enclave’s two million people currently live in Gaza City. A few thousand have already left, carrying their belongings on vehicles, and rickshaws.

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“I stopped counting the times I had to take my wife and three daughters and leave my home in Gaza City,” said Mohammad, 40. “No place is safe, but I can’t take the risk. If they suddenly begin the invasion, they will use heavy fire,” he told Reuters via a chat app.

Others say they will not leave, no matter what.

“We are not leaving, let them bomb us at home,” said Aya, 31, who has a family of eight, adding that they couldn’t afford to buy a tent or pay for the transportation, even if they did try to leave. “We are hungry, afraid and don’t have money,” she said.

A global hunger monitor said on Friday that Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine that will likely spread. Israel has rejected the assessment and says it ignores steps it has taken since late July to increase aid supply into and across Gaza.

On Saturday, the Gaza health ministry said eight more people died of malnutrition and starvation in the enclave, raising deaths from such causes to 281 people, including 114 children, since the war started. Israel disputes fatality figures by the health ministry in the Hamas-run strip.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen burst into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking 251 hostages.

Israel’s military offensive against Hamas has since killed at least 62,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry, left much of the territory in ruins and internally displaced nearly its entire population.