Air strikes hit the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, killing dozens of people, said health officials, while Israel reaffirmed its plans to capture more land in the enclave and force the two million residents of Gaza to live in the South.
The unique deadliest bombing struck near a popular coffee in Gaza City where young people gathered to use the Internet, killing 33, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. The Gaza Strip Hospitals have reported victims caused by other air strikes throughout the day, said a ministry official, Zaher al-Wuhaidi. The Israeli army did not immediately respond to requests for comments concerning the objective of the attack.
Renewed violence intervened after Israel announced earlier this week that it called tens of thousands of military reservists to promulgate the expansion of war. Israeli leaders say they hope that the campaign will put pressure on Hamas to compromise in cease-fire negotiations at neutral and release the hostages he still keeps in Gaza.
In Gaza City, bodies of young men were scattered outside the coffee while women looked with horror, according to a photographer from the New York Times on the scene. A mourning outside the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, tightening his head for agony, wore a sweatshirt that said “be nice”.
A hospital was unable to accommodate the high number of victims, said Dr. Munir al-Bursh, director general of the Gaza Ministry of Health. The strike stretched out A health sector already overwhelmed in the Gaza Strip. Health officials said 59 people were killed in the enclave on Wednesday. Their tolls do not distinguish between fighters and civilians.
The video obtained by the reuters news agency showed that people were running while transporting civilians with the injured. A donkey was seen moving into a pool of blood on the ground.
“Neither the people nor the animals were safe, neither the young nor the old people, as you can see,” said Ahmed al-Saoudi, an eyewitness.
“Enough, enough blood-performing blood,” he said.
The misery of aggravating Gazans is a disastrous humanitarian situation. Hunger in Gaza has skyrocketed since Israel imposed a blockade on aid supplies in March, which prompted the United Nations to warn of a “growing humanitarian disaster”. Israel argued that its blockade is legal and that Gaza still has enough available provisions.
Addressing the Israeli forces, the Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, said that the displacement of Gazans – many of which had only been authorized in their homes in northern Gaza – would protect Israeli forces “against all types of threats”.
He described it as part of a new military offensive that would start after President Trump’s visit to the Middle East next week. Until then, he said, Hamas had “an opportunity window” to accept new cease-fire negotiations and release Israeli hostages.
“The entire population of Gazan will be evacuated to the areas of the south of Gaza, while creating a distinction between them and the terrorists of Hamas,” said Mr. Katz. “Unlike the past, the FDI will remain in any conquered territory, to prevent the return of terrorism and purge and thwart any threat.”
A spokesman for Hamas, Bassem Naim, accused Israel of having tried to force negotiations “through famine tactics, continuous genocide and threats to degenerate military operations” – but not with insurance to end the 18 -month war. “Such attempts will not succeed in breaking the will of our people or their resistance,” said Mr. Naim.
Even before Mr. Katz’s announcement, plans to force people in northern Gaza had caused a new wave of despair among Palestinian civilians on the territory, many of which have already been moved several times since the start of the war.
“We do not even want to hear the word” evacuation “again,” said Anees Jneed, 31, a displaced Palestinian living in a makeshift refuge in northern Gaza. Mr. Jneed said that his family had already been moved at least six times since the war in October 2023.
“Moving means death, humiliation, homeless,” added Mr. Jneed.
Mr. Jneed is likely to be among the first affected by the plan of Israel to capture large sections of Gaza and force those who live there to move south. Israeli authorities said on Monday that they called tens of thousands of military reservists to adopt the expansion of the war. Israeli leaders say that they hope that the campaign will put pressure on Hamas to compromise in the cease-fire negotiations in standby and will release the hostages he still keeps in Gaza.
All this contributed to a deeper feeling of the gloom of Gazan civilians. Wafa al-Ghouty, 35, accountant and mother of five, said that she had been moved seven times since the war. It is now sheltered in a tent in a coastal area in the south of Gaza.
“The situation is extremely difficult, not only because of the repeated displacement, but because of the hunger and the helplessness of not being able to provide even a miche of bread,” said Ms. Al-Ghouty in an interview. “Whenever we settle down, we are forced to move again.”
Ms. Al-Ghouty said she was planning to cook her latest pasta bag within 24 hours. “Sometimes we are so focused on survival – finding food and drugs for children – that we miss the news,” she said. “But this announcement struck a thunderbolt.” She said that she had already packed a small bag with her children’s clothes and key documents, preparing for what could come after.
Almost two months have passed since Israel resumed its military campaign after the breakdown of ceasefire talks. The renewed aggression has caused almost daily air strikes and an escalation of ground operations, causing thousands of deaths and injuries.
According to the United Nations, more than 1.9 million people – the majority of the Gaza population – have been moved since the start of the war.
The humanitarian situation has worsened considerably in recent weeks due to the blockade of Israel on aid supplies. Most bakeries are no longer operational, food stocks are exhausted and medical supplies are extremely low.
Mr. Jneed said he had trouble providing basic necessities to his two children. The family now survives one meal per day.
“Each time that passes,” he said, “is worse than that before.
Aaron Boxerman Contributed reports.
