Israel’s intensifying assaults on Gaza kill at the least 51 and ship hundreds fleeing | EUROtoday

Israeli forces stepped up their bombardment of Gaza City, reportedly killing dozens of individuals, together with kids, destroying residential towers, and compelling hundreds to flee south.

In whole, based on Al Jazeera, Israeli assaults killed at the least 51 folks throughout the besieged Palestinian territory on Saturday. The lifeless included two younger women who had been killed in Israeli strikes on their properties within the crowded Shati camp.

The navy had warned on Friday it will function with “unprecedented force” whereas closing a brief evacuation route that had been opened earlier within the week. “From this moment, Salah al-Din road is closed for southbound travel. The Israeli Defence Forces will continue to operate with unprecedented force against Hamas and other terrorist organisations,” spokesperson Avichay Adraee mentioned.

Announcing the “temporary” new route for Palestinians fleeing the bombardment of Gaza City, Israel had mentioned on Wednesday that it will stay open for less than 48 hours from noon native time.

“The Israel Defence Forces will continue to operate with unprecedented force against Hamas and other terrorist organisations,” the spokesperson declared on Friday. “Take this opportunity and join the hundreds of thousands of city residents who have moved south to the humanitarian area.”

The newest Israeli bombardment comes amid a floor push in direction of central Gaza City and widespread demolition of residential blocks.

Satellite pictures present in depth destruction in neighbourhoods like Zeitoun, Shejaiya, Tuffah, and Sheikh al-Radwan. Residents instructed the information company that at the least 20 towers had been introduced down in current weeks.

Shady Salama Al-Rayyes described fleeing his 15-storey complicated following an Israeli evacuation order.

“Panic, fear, confusion, loss, despair, and pain overwhelmed all of us,” the financial institution employee mentioned. “We carried nothing with us, just ran.”

Israel alleges, with out offering proof, that the high-rise blocks are being utilized by Hamas as remark posts and booby-traps, and claims civilians are granted time to evacuate earlier than strikes. Hamas denies utilizing residential blocks for finishing up assaults.

Palestinian civil defence officers mentioned almost half of Gaza City’s inhabitants – over 450,000 folks – had left because the begin of the present Israeli offensive in August.

According to the UN, the most recent Israeli offensive has already displaced over 1 / 4 of 1,000,000 folks from Gaza City, with tens of hundreds extra leaving day by day.

Israel’s battle on Gaza, now approaching its second yr, has killed greater than 65,000 Palestinians to date, based on the native well being authorities, and displaced the overwhelming majority of the territory’s 2.2 million folks.

Israel launched the battle in October 2023 after almost 1,200 troopers and civilians had been killed and 251 taken hostage throughout a Hamas assault.

International condemnation of Israel’s battle has grown in current months. Portugal this week joined the UK, France, Canada and Australia in saying plans to recognise a Palestinian state.

The Palestinian international ministry welcomed Lisbon’s “courageous decision”, saying it “supports efforts to achieve peace and implement the two-state solution”.

These developments come forward of subsequent week’s UN General Assembly session in New York the place Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas will deal with world leaders by video after the US denied him a visa.