Israel attacks Gaza City as army takes first steps of occupation plan
The newly approved plan authorises the call-up of roughly 60,000 reservists, deepening fears the campaign will worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
"We are not waiting. We have begun the preliminary actions, and already now, army troops are holding the outskirts of Gaza City," said the Israeli military.
Israel's plans to expand the war and occupy Gaza City have sparked international outcry as well as domestic opposition. The Red Cross became the latest voice to condemn the plan on Thursday, calling it "intolerable".
Ahead of the offensive, the Israeli occupation army said the call-up of the reservists would begin in early September, adding the second phase of the so-called operation "Gideon's Chariots" had begun.
Gaza City residents described relentless bombardments overnight.
"The house shakes with us all night long -- the sound of explosions, artillery, warplanes, ambulances, and cries for help is killing us," one of them, Ahmad al-Shanti, told AFP.
"The sound is getting closer, but where would we go?"
Another resident, Amal Abdel-Aal, said she watched the heavy strikes on the area, a week after being displaced from her home in Gaza City's Al-Sabra neighbourhood.
"No one in Gaza has slept -- not last night, not for a week. The artillery and air strikes in the east never stop. The sky flashes all night long," she added.
Gaza civil defence agency spokesman Mahmoud Bassal said air strikes and artillery fire overnight targeted areas to the northwest and southeast of Gaza City.
Hospital sources in Gaza said that 20 people have been killed by Israeli army fire in several areas of the Strip since dawn on Thursday, including eight who were waiting for aid.
Late Thursday, the Israeli army detailed a range of assaults across the Gaza Strip in recent weeks.
It claimed the manoeuvres and strikes "created the conditions" for the army to intensify pressure on the resistance group Hamas and lay the groundwork for the next stages of the genocidal war.
The UN humanitarian agency has warned the Israeli plan to expand army operations in Gaza City would have "a horrific humanitarian impact" on the already exhausted population.
"Forcing hundreds of thousands to move south is a recipe for further disaster and could amount to forcible transfer," OCHA said.
The UN Human Rights office in the Palestinian territories also voiced concern.
"Hundreds of families have been forced to flee, including many children, persons with disabilities, and older people, with nowhere safe to go," it said.
Others reportedly "remain trapped, completely cut off from food, water and medicine supplies", it added.
As Israel tightened its grip on Gaza City's outskirts, meditators continued to wait for an official Israeli reaction to their latest ceasefire proposal that Hamas accepted earlier this week.
'Ball' in Israel's court
Qatar and Egypt, backed by the United States, have overseen several rounds of shuttle diplomacy.
Qatar said the latest proposal was "almost identical" to an earlier version approved by Israel, while Cario said Monday that "the ball is now in its (Israel's) court".
Late Wednesday, Hamas lambasted the plans to take control of Gaza City, saying in a statement it showed its "blatant disregard" for efforts to broker a ceasefire and hostage release deal
Israel has killed at least 62,122 Palestinians in Gaza since the war started on 7 October 2023, mostly children and women.
* This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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