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Thousands of families are reportedly attempting to evacuate Gaza City as the Israeli military confirms the commencement of ground operations, forming part of its extensive offensive aimed at seizing control of the city.
Lina al-Maghrebi, 32, a mother of three residing in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, conveyed to the BBC that she initially resisted leaving her home despite the escalating dangers. However, she ultimately evacuated after receiving a direct evacuation order via phone from an Israeli officer.
“I was compelled to sell my jewellery to afford the cost of displacement and a tent,” she stated. “The journey to Khan Younis took us 10 hours, and we paid 3,500 shekels (£735) for transportation. The procession of vehicles seemed endless.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has characterized the operation in Gaza City as a “powerful operation,” designating the city as Hamas’s last significant stronghold.
The Israeli military has designated al-Rashid coastal road as the sole evacuation route for civilians. Reports indicate severe congestion, protracted queues of vehicles, and substantial delays, leaving families stranded along the roadside amidst ongoing airstrikes.
The operation has elicited widespread international condemnation, including criticism from the UN human rights chief and the German foreign minister.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the offensive as “utterly reckless and appalling,” asserting that it would “only bring more bloodshed, kill more innocent civilians and endanger the remaining hostages.”
However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to express implicit support for Israel’s operation during a joint press conference with Netanyahu on Monday, stating that while the US prefers a negotiated resolution, “sometimes when you’re dealing with a group of savages like Hamas, that’s not possible.”
Israel’s escalated offensive coincides with the release of a United Nations commission of inquiry report on Tuesday, alleging that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The Israeli government has vehemently rejected the report’s findings.
Nivin Imad al-Din, 38, a mother of five, reported fleeing south after Israeli warplanes disseminated evacuation leaflets in her neighborhood, although her husband refused to leave their residence.
“I couldn’t take my furniture with me because I couldn’t afford the cost of a large truck,” she explained. “Leaving everything behind was the hardest decision I’ve ever made.”
The financial burden of displacement has risen dramatically, exceeding the means of many households. Residents report that renting a small truck now costs approximately 3,000 shekels (£630), while a tent accommodating five people is priced around 4,000 shekels (£840). With many families lacking income since the onset of the conflict, some are compelled to walk considerable distances or remain in their homes despite the inherent risks.
Throughout the night leading into Tuesday, Israeli warplanes conducted a series of intense airstrikes across Gaza City, focusing on the central al-Daraj neighborhood, the Beach refugee camp in the west, and Sheikh Radwan in the north.
The strikes were reportedly accompanied by artillery fire, drone attacks, and helicopter gunship activity.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that it is “gradually” advancing into Gaza City as part of the “next phase” of its offensive.
The IDF indicated that both air and ground forces would be involved in this subsequent stage of the military operation, with troop numbers increasing incrementally.
Residents described the overnight strikes as “hell”.
Ghazi al-Aloul, a displaced resident from northern Gaza, informed the BBC that he is currently sleeping at the entrance of al-Quds Hospital in Tel al-Hawa, southwest Gaza.
“I did not choose this,” he said. “I was forced after leaving the home where my family and I had been sheltering for nearly a month after fleeing the north”.
“The bombardment has been insane for hours, and the army is threatening to demolish several residential buildings in the area.”
Sami Abu Dalal, from al-Daraj in central Gaza, described the night as “extremely difficult”.
“Whole residential blocks were levelled on top of their inhabitants, leaving many dead, missing, or injured,” he said.
He said Israel was advancing on three fronts – and was accompanied by the use of booby-trapped vehicles, intense airstrikes, and heavy shelling. Meanwhile, Apache helicopters hovered over different parts of the city, firing continuously.
The group are the first to be brought to the UK for treatment under a government scheme.
Simon Opher and Peter Prinsley say they were heading to the occupied West Bank when they were stopped by Israeli authorities.
It comes as a UN commission of inquiry found that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
The panel finds that four of the five genocidal acts defined under international law have been carried out against Palestinians during the war.
The conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people is one of the longest-running in the world.
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