Israeli forces have intensified their assault around Jabalia in northern Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least ten individuals queuing for food, as reported by Palestinian medics. They are also urging residents to evacuate while engaging with Hamas fighters.
Jabalia has been the center of an Israeli offensive for approximately ten days, with the military now encircling the camp and deploying tanks into the adjacent towns of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, with the stated objective of eliminating Hamas fighters attempting to regroup in the area.
Throughout the course of this operation, residents of Jabalia, which houses one of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps, find themselves caught between Israeli orders to move south and Hamas’s warnings against leaving due to the associated dangers.
“We have faced relentless attacks from both the air and the ground for a week. They want us to leave, punishing us for refusing to abandon our homes,” stated Marwa, 26, who evacuated with her family to a school in Gaza City.
The United Nations human rights office has indicated that the Israeli military seems to be “completely isolating North Gaza from the rest of the Gaza Strip.”
“The isolation of North Gaza raises serious concerns that Israel does not intend to allow civilians to return to their homes. The repeated calls for all Palestinians to evacuate northern Gaza raise significant alarms about the potential for a large-scale forced transfer of the civilian population,” it noted in a statement.
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Israeli officials have stated that the evacuation orders are intended to separate Hamas fighters from civilians and have denied any systematic plan to remove civilians from Jabalia or other northern regions.
Nonetheless, the ongoing military operations have highlighted the untenable living conditions for civilians in Gaza as conflicts shift across various regions of the enclave.
According to Palestinian medics, tank shelling has resulted in ten fatalities and 40 injuries, including women and children.
The Israeli military reported that the incident is under investigation.
“The IDF targets its strikes and operations explicitly at terror targets and operatives while avoiding civilian objects and civilians,” it stated.
The aftermath of an Israeli strike on the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al Balah
The United Nations has characterized the conditions for civilians remaining in Jabalia as dire, with over 50,000 people displaced and essential services like water wells, bakeries, medical facilities, and shelters closed.
The northern region of Gaza, which is home to more than half of the territory’s 2.3 million residents, endured heavy bombardment during the initial phase of Israel’s assault, leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands following Israeli evacuation orders.
According to UN estimates, approximately 400,000 individuals still reside in the area.
Hamas has accused Israel of seeking to forcibly displace the population of northern Gaza.
“The international community must act against this war crime,” urged senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri.
Concerns regarding Israel’s intentions to clear northern areas have been heightened by proposals from former Israeli generals, advocating for the evacuation of civilians from north Gaza while placing remaining militants under siege until their surrender.
The military has dismissed such intentions.
“We have not received such a plan,” military spokesman Nadav Shoshani told reporters.
“We are ensuring that civilians are kept safe as we conduct operations against the terror cells in Jabalia,” he assured.
The principal architect of the proposal, Giora Eiland, explained that his plan aimed to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages by eliminating its control over territory and aid, rather than engaging in direct combat with its fighters.
“What they’re executing in Jabalia now resembles previous operations,” Mr. Eiland noted in an interview with Army Radio yesterday. “My plan is not being executed.”
The future of Gaza remains uncertain for Israel, except for its declared goal of dismantling Hamas as both a military and governing entity and recovering its hostages.
Israel launched its offensive against Hamas following the terrorist group’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of around 250 people into Gaza, according to Israeli reports.
As per Gaza’s health authorities, over 42,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the ongoing offensive.
