Israel increases military pressure in northern Gaza

2024-10-14 17:55:02, Kosova & Bota CNA

At least 10 people were killed and 40 wounded in northern Gaza on Monday after an Israeli tank fired on a group of people waiting in line for bread, Palestinian health authorities said. This development comes as concerns are growing that Israel is planning to evict all residents from this part of the region.

Health workers said an Israeli drone also attacked dozens of residents as they waited for food supplies in Jabaliya, one of eight refugee camps. Among the victims were women and children, they said.

The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident.

Jabaliya has been the center of attention of the Israeli offensive in these last ten days. The army has surrounded the camp and sent tanks to two nearby towns, Beit Lahija and Beit Hanoun, in order to, they said, root out Hamas militants who are trying to regroup.

With the Israeli military urging Palestinians to evacuate to the southern Gaza Strip while increasing pressure on Hamas and Hamas telling them not to leave because it is too dangerous, the last few days have resembled the early stages of war.

The northern part of Gaza, home to more than half of the territory's 2.3 million people, has been heavily shelled in the first phase of Israel's assault on the territory, which began a year ago.

Hundreds of thousands of northern Gaza residents were displaced from their homes in the first months of the war, forced to do so by Israeli evacuation orders and military ground offensives, while nearly 400,000 people remained there, according to United Nations figures.

But after months of intense fighting in that area, Israel redeployed forces to Jabaliya to root out Hamas militants after reports they were regrouping to plan more attacks.

The armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad say their militants are carrying out attacks on Israeli forces with anti-tank rockets and hand grenades.

For residents, the situation continues to worsen.

"We have been hit by air and ground attacks, for a week without stopping, they want us to leave, they want to punish us for refusing to leave our homes," said 26-year-old Marwa, who fled with her family . to take shelter in a school in Gaza City.

People fear they will never be able to return if they leave south, she said.

On Monday afternoon, Hamas said that Israel intends to force all residents of northern Gaza to leave through continuous bombardment and by blocking aid, food and fuel.

"The international community must act against this war crime because the occupying forces are closing the territory and preventing the entry of aid and medicine ," said senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri. "Doing so causes a slow death in addition to the daily outright killings that are being done to them," he added.

Concerns that Israel plans to empty Jabaliya

Some residents also worry that Israel is planning to vacate Jabaliya and possibly all of northern Gaza under a proposal drawn up by former Israeli generals that is circulating, under which civilians would leave northern Gaza and militants remaining would be placed under curfew until their surrender.

Israel has denied such a plan.

"We have not received such a plan", declared army spokesman Nadav Shoshani. "We are making sure that we are sparing civilians from harm while we are dealing with terrorist cells in Xhabalia ," he declared.

The plan's lead author, Giora Eiland, said his plan aims to pressure Hamas to release the hostages by ending the group's control over territory and preventing aid from reaching them, rather than being sent. Israeli forces to fight the group's militants.

Israel's plans for the future of Gaza, beyond the stated goal of destroying Hamas, remain unclear.

The United Nations says the civilian population is facing very difficult conditions in Xhabalia.

"Over 50,000 people have been displaced from the Jabaliya area, which has been cut off from other parts, while others remain trapped in their homes amid increased shelling and fighting," UN coordinator Muhannad Hadi said on Sunday. .

"Recent military operations in northern Gaza have forced the closure of water wells, bakeries, medicine points and shelters, and led to the suspension of protection services, hunger treatment and temporary schools. At the same time, hospitals are seeing an increase in injured patients."

The Israeli army did not declare about these issues./ VOA