The Israeli army says that it began the “initial stages” of its offensive on Gaza City because it declared the largest urban center in the besieged territory a “combat zone” and announced the suspension of daily breaks in the fighting which allowed the entry of humanitarian aid to the city struck by famine.
“We are not waiting. We started preliminary operations and the first stages of the attack by Gaza City,” Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee wrote in an article on X on Friday.
“We are currently operating with great force on the outskirts of the city,” he said.
Israel also announced that he had recovered the body of Ilan Weiss, an Israeli killed during the attack on October 7, 2023 against southern Israel, whose body had been taken to Gaza.
The announcements occurred while the Israeli army confirmed that it suspended the so-called “tactical breaks” in its attacks against the city of the north of Gaza which had previously granted limited humanitarian operations there.
“From today at 10:00 am (07:00 GMT), the local tactical tactical ceasefire will not apply to the Gaza City region, which constitutes a dangerous combat zone,” said the army on X.
Last week, the Integrated Food Security Classification Initiative (IPC) said that famine occurred in the Gaza governorate, a region where hundreds of Palestinians live, which includes Gaza City.
The UN children’s agency warned on Friday that the staff of a Gaza City nutrition center has trouble dealing with an increase in children in malnutrition.
“It is clear on the ground that famine absolutely ravages the city of Gaza,” said Unicef spokesperson Tess Ingram, in Tel Aviv Tribune during a visit to the establishment, where desperate parents bring their children to be projected and treated. She said that she had met “so much” of parents who were “in total despair because they lacked options”.
Center health workers evaluate malnutrition by measuring children’s arms, with those at risk of high -energy fortified cookies as a preventive measure. Children seriously suffering from malnutrition receive ready -made therapeutic foods, a concentrated paste designed to help them recover over several weeks.
“It is essentially a medication administered to children like a paste,” said Ingram. “But we just don’t have enough; the demand is really high and the supplies are weak.”
The IPC has also warned that famine could soon spread to other regions of Gaza, while Israel continues to impose serious restrictions on humanitarian aid supplies in the midst of an in -depth hunger crisis across the territory.
On Friday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that at least five people, including two children, died of famine and malnutrition in Gaza in the past 24 hours.
Deaths bring the total number of people killed by hunger and malnutrition since the start of the war at 322, including 121 children.
Israeli assault on the city of Gaza
Israeli forces have carried out a sustained bombardment in Gaza City since the beginning of August, while the army is preparing for a greater assault to grasp the largest urban center of Gaza – in an operation that could force a million Palestinians to concentration areas in the south of Gaza, according to the United Nations Palestinian refugees, at ISTRWA.
The relentless bombing of air and land forced residents to flee to the western parts of the city, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in Tel Aviv Tribune.
The Civil Defense of Gaza estimates that more than 1,000 residential buildings in the districts of Zeitoun and Sabra de Gaza City have been flattened since August 6.
Residents described the implacable bombardment and helicopter attacks. “They launched a fire belt attack only 150 meters (500 feet) of us. They burned the whole area,” said Nihad Madoukh of Sheikh Radwan in the northwest of the city of Gaza, addressing Tel Aviv Tribune. “It was a very scary bombardment.”
The displaced resident, Ahmed Moqat, said that he had constantly moved to escape Israeli attacks. “Here are the debris that fell last night next to my head,” he said. “Now I’m going to go out on the street, only God knows where I will go.”
Hamas also warned on Friday that the military offensive of Israel on Gaza City risked the life of the captives that remain there.
“We will do everything in our power to protect the captives in our hands,” said Abu Obeida, spokesperson for the Hamas military wing, Qassam’s brigades. “However, they will be with our fighters in combat zones and will face the same risks.”
Dozens killed across Gaza
On Friday, at least 67 Palestinians, including six help seekers, were killed in attacks across Gaza, medical sources told Tel Aviv Tribune.
Palestinian health workers told Tel Aviv Tribune that three of the aid seekers had been killed by Israeli forces near the Netzarim corridor in the center of Gaza on Friday.
Medical sources have said that Israeli air strikes struck the so-called “safe zone” in Al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis, killing at least five people and injuring dozens while sleeping in tents.
“We slept when the bombing occurred,” said a man who took care of his grandchildren, whose father was killed two months ago. “The strike hit our region … We took the injured at Nasser hospital before the ambulances arrived. Stop this war against us. Have mercy on children. “
More than 62,600 Palestinians, mainly women and children, were killed by Israel in his almost two year war against Gaza, and at least 157,600 were injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.