The Israeli forces expand their offensive in Gaza on Sunday, taking control of more territory and issuing new evacuation orders for residents who had only returned to them recently.
The Israeli army renewed its offensive in Gaza last week after talks to extend a fragile and temporary ceasefire that entered into force in mid-January reached a dead end. On Sunday, he said that these operations had moved to additional areas north and south of the enclave.
Israel said his troops had started to operate in Beit Hanoun, north of Gaza, to extend a buffer area. The soldiers also said that he had made more air strikes against Hamas targets and infrastructure and that people were to evacuate.
The soldiers also separated an evacuation prescription for the Tal Al-Sultan district of the southern city of Rafah separately, telling residents to go on foot along a specific route and to skip the movement of vehicles.
The municipality of Rafah said in a statement that thousands of families were forced to flee on foot under bombing during the holy month of Ramadan Muslim fasting. This left them homeless in the midst of a serious shortage of basic necessities and tents due to the Israeli government closure of Gaza crossings, noted the municipality.
“I hear a lot of shots and bombing,” said Riham Abu Marzouq, 22, during a phone call on Sunday afternoon when he needed his house in Rafah with nine parents. “We are walking now,” she added, breathing and fighting to catch her breath.
In the middle of the climbing of combat and evacuation orders, the Gaza Ministry of Health said on Sunday that the number of deaths in the enclave since the start of the war had exceeded 50,000 people – including 39 people killed in Israeli bombardments in the last day. Ministry figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Hamas announced that Israel had killed a main member of its political bureau, Salah al-Bardawil, overnight. The group said Al-Bardawil, one of the best spokespersons in the militant group, had been killed with his wife in a tent strike in Al-Mawasi, an area in the south of Gaza that the Israeli army had appointed Sunday.
Afternoon on Sunday, the army said that its troops had completely surrounded Tal Al-Sultan, had eliminated several fighters and had a descent on a site which, according to him, had been used in recent months as a command and control center of Hamas.
Neither could be checked independently.
The Palestinian Civil Defense of Gaza warned on Sunday of “imminent danger threatening life” of more than 50,000 people in Rafah on Sunday.
“The situation in Rafah is very difficult,” said Huthayfah Lafi, a resident of the southern city who lives near Tal Al-Sultan. He said he had decided not to evacuate the region on Sunday “until the situation becomes clearer” because “we have nowhere to go.”
And the Palestinian Red Crescent said that he had lost contact with four of his ambulances, which he said had been trapped in Rafah and that crew members were injured by Israeli shots. The Israeli army said it was examining reports but had not immediately provided any comments.
Mohammed Abu Taha, 42, said that his sister Sanaa and his family had not been able to return home to Rafah that in recent weeks. Around Dawn on Sunday “they were surprised by the Israeli tanks who were advancing towards them,” he said, relaying what his sister had told him on the phone while fleeing on foot to the city of Khan Younis, where he devoted himself.
“They were not allowed to transport only a small bag,” said Abu Taha.
The Israeli government has said that the renewed offensive – as well as blocking the entry of all goods and humanitarian aid to Gaza – aims to increase pressure on Hamas to release hostages that are still held in the enclave and destroy the group’s military and governing capacities.
The hostages were taken to Gaza during the attack led by Hamas against southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the war. Hamas has so far refused to publish a large number of hostages unless Israel promises to end the war permanently. Israel has conditioned the end of the war against Hamas, agree to abandon its weapons and its power in Gaza.
The resumption of the military campaign in Gaza did not find the same national consensus among the Israelis that the war immediately made after the assault of October 2023. Instead, he has increased concerns concerning the fate of hostages, of which up to 24, are still alive, and he left many Israelis wondering what could be made militarily which was not carried out in the first 15 months of fighting.
The reports were brought by Myra November Abu Bakr Bashir,, Bilal Shbair And Iyad Abuheweila.
