Soldiers advance into Gaza City neighborhood as the UN says at least 60,000 Palestinian residents have been displaced.
The Israeli military said its troops were intensifying operations in the Shujayea neighborhood, east of Gaza City, and “fighting simultaneously above and below ground.”
In a situation update released Saturday, the organization said troops had eliminated “a large number of terrorists” over the past day and located a weapons storage facility inside a school.
The Air Force also struck “terrorist targets and armed terrorist cells, including a terrorist cell that was on its way to fire on troops.”
The Israeli army had earlier issued a statement asking residents of Shujayea and adjacent areas to move south along the arterial Salah al-Din Street, which runs the entire length of the enclave.
According to Tel Aviv Tribune’s Hind Khoudary, based in Deir el-Balah, Israeli forces targeted a group of Palestinians in Gaza City who were trying to fill water containers at a distribution point.
“Four Palestinians from the same family, the al-Ghazi family, were killed in this bombing. Among them was a child,” she said.
“We saw a video online showing the child in his father’s arms, covered in blood, lying on the ground before paramedics could go and transfer him to hospital.”
At least 60,000 people displaced, according to the UN
United Nations spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said the new Israeli offensive in Shujayea had forced the displacement of “at least 60,000” residents.
“Humanitarian partners are reporting new displacement… Yesterday, the Israeli military ordered people living in 28 residential blocks in areas east of Gaza City to evacuate immediately… at least 60,000 people have been displaced from this area, which spans more than seven square kilometers (2.7 square miles),” Dujarric said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said its troops continued their intelligence operation in Rafah, southern Gaza, and had “eliminated many terrorists in the area” over the past day.
In central Gaza, the army said it had “eliminated many terrorists” on the ground, and the air force struck “several anti-tank missile posts.”
Two projectiles were also identified coming from Gaza and heading towards Sderot, Israel. The air defense network intercepted one, and the other fell in an open area.
Dujarric also said that a military operation in the al-Mawasi area in southern Gaza, designated a “safe zone” by Israel, resulted in numerous casualties and the displacement of at least 5,000 people.
At least two people were killed in an Israeli shelling near the al-Istiqama mosque in the al-Jnaina neighborhood east of Rafah, sources told Tel Aviv Tribune.
Several other people were injured when Israeli forces opened fire near the al-Alam roundabout, west of Rafah.
On Saturday, Gaza’s health ministry said at least 37,834 people have been killed and 86,858 injured in Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7.
The updated toll includes 40 Palestinians killed and 224 injured in the past 24 hours, according to the statement.