DaysofPal – At least 55 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip since dawn, as Israel intensified its bombardment and issued a stark ultimatum to tens of thousands of civilians still in Gaza City: leave immediately or face the “full force” of its assault.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared on Wednesday that anyone who remained in the city would be treated as “terrorists and terror supporters.” The statement came as relentless airstrikes and shelling reduced large swathes of Gaza’s biggest urban center to rubble, wiping out residential blocks, schools, and lives. Tens of thousands are being driven south toward an uncertain future, frequently under fire, while dozens are being killed every day.
Local sources reported that Israel was pushing civilians out of Gaza City with evacuation orders while simultaneously targeting them on the coastal route. Helicopters, drones, and tanks fired on fleeing families, creating “mayhem and panic.” Fear of attack and intimidation has left many Palestinians too terrified to risk the journey.
The toll of the assault continued Thursday. Emergency services confirmed a child was killed by an Israeli drone strike in the Ansar area, west of Gaza City. Nine people were killed and 13 others wounded when Israeli fire struck displaced families in central Gaza. In al-Bureij refugee camp, a Palestinian man and his wife were killed when their home was hit by a drone strike.
South of Deir el-Balah, another Palestinian was killed and over 10 injured in similar attacks. In Khan Younis, Israeli drones bombed a tent sheltering displaced families inside Al-Aqsa University’s al-Mawasi campus, designated by Israel as a “safe zone.” Eight people were wounded.
Despite Israel’s campaign to empty Gaza City through continuous bombardment, some Palestinians are risking their lives to return north. Many of those forced south by bombardment face desperate conditions, while Israeli forces have now blocked al-Rashid Street, described by Gaza’s Government Media Office as a “vital artery” for civilian movement between governorates.
Humanitarian organizations have also been forced to pull back. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced Wednesday it was suspending its operations in Gaza City, citing the intensity of the hostilities. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) had already done the same last week. “The ICRC will continue to strive to provide support to civilians in Gaza City, whenever circumstances allow, from our offices in Deir el-Balah and Rafah,” the organization said.
A ceasefire proposal backed by the United States and presented as a step toward ending Israel’s devastating two-year war is still being considered by Hamas. The terms, however, are widely seen as leaning toward Israel’s demands, leaving Palestinians doubtful that the deal would guarantee either sovereignty or safety.
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