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Israeli military prepares to relocate people in Gaza

Israeli military prepares to relocate people in Gaza

The Advertiser8 hours ago
Gaza residents will be provided with tents and other shelter equipment, ahead of relocating them from combat zones to the south of the enclave "to ensure their safety", the Israeli military says.
This comes days after Israel said it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban centre, in a plan that raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, home to about 2.2 million people.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that before launching the offensive, the civilian population will be evacuated to what he described as "safe zones" from Gaza City, which he called Hamas' last stronghold.
The shelter equipment will be transferred via the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza by the United Nations and other international relief organisations after being inspected by defence ministry personnel, the military said.
The UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Israeli announcement, however, it warned on Thursday that thousands of families already enduring appalling humanitarian conditions could be pushed over the edge if the Gaza City plan moves ahead.
"Nowhere is safe in Gaza," it said on a Saturday post on X, adding that an average of 28 children had been killed every day since the war began.
Palestinian and United Nations officials have said no place in the enclave is safe, including areas in southern Gaza where Israel has been ordering residents to move to.
The military declined to comment when asked whether the shelter equipment was intended for Gaza City's population estimated at around one million people presently, and whether the site to which they will be relocated in southern Gaza would be the area of Rafah, which borders Egypt.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday plans for the new offensive were still being formulated.
The Palestinian militant faction Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, said that the military's announcement "as part of its brutal attack to occupy Gaza City, is a blatant and brazen mockery of international conventions".
However, Israeli forces have already increased operations on the outskirts of Gaza City over the past week. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire.
Residents there have also reported explosions throughout the day, resulting from Israeli tank shelling against homes in the eastern parts of the neighbourhood.
Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have also reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire.
The Israeli military said on Friday it had begun a new operation in Zeitoun to locate explosives, destroy tunnels and kill militants in the area.
The war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities, and 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are still alive.
Israel's subsequent military assault against Hamas has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced most of Gaza's population and left much of the enclave in ruins.
Protests calling for a hostage release and an end to the war were expected throughout Israel on Sunday, with many businesses, municipalities and universities saying they will support employees striking for the day.
Gaza residents will be provided with tents and other shelter equipment, ahead of relocating them from combat zones to the south of the enclave "to ensure their safety", the Israeli military says.
This comes days after Israel said it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban centre, in a plan that raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, home to about 2.2 million people.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that before launching the offensive, the civilian population will be evacuated to what he described as "safe zones" from Gaza City, which he called Hamas' last stronghold.
The shelter equipment will be transferred via the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza by the United Nations and other international relief organisations after being inspected by defence ministry personnel, the military said.
The UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Israeli announcement, however, it warned on Thursday that thousands of families already enduring appalling humanitarian conditions could be pushed over the edge if the Gaza City plan moves ahead.
"Nowhere is safe in Gaza," it said on a Saturday post on X, adding that an average of 28 children had been killed every day since the war began.
Palestinian and United Nations officials have said no place in the enclave is safe, including areas in southern Gaza where Israel has been ordering residents to move to.
The military declined to comment when asked whether the shelter equipment was intended for Gaza City's population estimated at around one million people presently, and whether the site to which they will be relocated in southern Gaza would be the area of Rafah, which borders Egypt.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday plans for the new offensive were still being formulated.
The Palestinian militant faction Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, said that the military's announcement "as part of its brutal attack to occupy Gaza City, is a blatant and brazen mockery of international conventions".
However, Israeli forces have already increased operations on the outskirts of Gaza City over the past week. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire.
Residents there have also reported explosions throughout the day, resulting from Israeli tank shelling against homes in the eastern parts of the neighbourhood.
Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have also reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire.
The Israeli military said on Friday it had begun a new operation in Zeitoun to locate explosives, destroy tunnels and kill militants in the area.
The war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities, and 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are still alive.
Israel's subsequent military assault against Hamas has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced most of Gaza's population and left much of the enclave in ruins.
Protests calling for a hostage release and an end to the war were expected throughout Israel on Sunday, with many businesses, municipalities and universities saying they will support employees striking for the day.
Gaza residents will be provided with tents and other shelter equipment, ahead of relocating them from combat zones to the south of the enclave "to ensure their safety", the Israeli military says.
This comes days after Israel said it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban centre, in a plan that raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, home to about 2.2 million people.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that before launching the offensive, the civilian population will be evacuated to what he described as "safe zones" from Gaza City, which he called Hamas' last stronghold.
The shelter equipment will be transferred via the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza by the United Nations and other international relief organisations after being inspected by defence ministry personnel, the military said.
The UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Israeli announcement, however, it warned on Thursday that thousands of families already enduring appalling humanitarian conditions could be pushed over the edge if the Gaza City plan moves ahead.
"Nowhere is safe in Gaza," it said on a Saturday post on X, adding that an average of 28 children had been killed every day since the war began.
Palestinian and United Nations officials have said no place in the enclave is safe, including areas in southern Gaza where Israel has been ordering residents to move to.
The military declined to comment when asked whether the shelter equipment was intended for Gaza City's population estimated at around one million people presently, and whether the site to which they will be relocated in southern Gaza would be the area of Rafah, which borders Egypt.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday plans for the new offensive were still being formulated.
The Palestinian militant faction Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, said that the military's announcement "as part of its brutal attack to occupy Gaza City, is a blatant and brazen mockery of international conventions".
However, Israeli forces have already increased operations on the outskirts of Gaza City over the past week. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire.
Residents there have also reported explosions throughout the day, resulting from Israeli tank shelling against homes in the eastern parts of the neighbourhood.
Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have also reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire.
The Israeli military said on Friday it had begun a new operation in Zeitoun to locate explosives, destroy tunnels and kill militants in the area.
The war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities, and 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are still alive.
Israel's subsequent military assault against Hamas has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced most of Gaza's population and left much of the enclave in ruins.
Protests calling for a hostage release and an end to the war were expected throughout Israel on Sunday, with many businesses, municipalities and universities saying they will support employees striking for the day.
Gaza residents will be provided with tents and other shelter equipment, ahead of relocating them from combat zones to the south of the enclave "to ensure their safety", the Israeli military says.
This comes days after Israel said it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban centre, in a plan that raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, home to about 2.2 million people.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that before launching the offensive, the civilian population will be evacuated to what he described as "safe zones" from Gaza City, which he called Hamas' last stronghold.
The shelter equipment will be transferred via the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza by the United Nations and other international relief organisations after being inspected by defence ministry personnel, the military said.
The UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Israeli announcement, however, it warned on Thursday that thousands of families already enduring appalling humanitarian conditions could be pushed over the edge if the Gaza City plan moves ahead.
"Nowhere is safe in Gaza," it said on a Saturday post on X, adding that an average of 28 children had been killed every day since the war began.
Palestinian and United Nations officials have said no place in the enclave is safe, including areas in southern Gaza where Israel has been ordering residents to move to.
The military declined to comment when asked whether the shelter equipment was intended for Gaza City's population estimated at around one million people presently, and whether the site to which they will be relocated in southern Gaza would be the area of Rafah, which borders Egypt.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday plans for the new offensive were still being formulated.
The Palestinian militant faction Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, said that the military's announcement "as part of its brutal attack to occupy Gaza City, is a blatant and brazen mockery of international conventions".
However, Israeli forces have already increased operations on the outskirts of Gaza City over the past week. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire.
Residents there have also reported explosions throughout the day, resulting from Israeli tank shelling against homes in the eastern parts of the neighbourhood.
Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have also reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire.
The Israeli military said on Friday it had begun a new operation in Zeitoun to locate explosives, destroy tunnels and kill militants in the area.
The war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities, and 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are still alive.
Israel's subsequent military assault against Hamas has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced most of Gaza's population and left much of the enclave in ruins.
Protests calling for a hostage release and an end to the war were expected throughout Israel on Sunday, with many businesses, municipalities and universities saying they will support employees striking for the day.
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MP's big issue with Albo's Palestine pledge
MP's big issue with Albo's Palestine pledge

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MP's big issue with Albo's Palestine pledge

Anthony Albanese should have consulted the opposition before pledging to recognise Palestinian statehood next month, a Liberal frontbencher says. The Prime Minister unleashed a firestorm when he declared his intention on Monday. He has been both accused of 'rewarding terrorists' and praised for joining the global push to realise the rights of Palestinians. Sussan Ley has criticised him for, in her view, bungling one of the biggest foreign policy challenges facing governments and vowed to reverse Palestinian recognition. In the same breath, she has also lashed him for being 'fixated' on events abroad. Though, with more than 100,000 marching across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in protest of the war in Gaza, it is a hot-button issue for Australians – especially the many with family ties in the region. Senior opposition MP Tim Wilson on Sunday said it would have been 'sensible' to reach out to the Coalition and form a bipartisan position that could go beyond the government of the day. Opposition frontbencher Tim Wilson says Labor should have consulted the Coalition on Palestinian recognition. Martin Ollman / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia 'We've taken a long-term bipartisan position around a two-state solution based on a series of preconditions that we would expect in that - like the lasting security and respect for the state of Israel, like making sure Israeli hostages are returned, like making sure there isn't going to be Hamas running any government,' Mr Wilson told the ABC. 'Up until last Monday, that was also the position of the government.' He said the Albanese government has 'thrown that into turmoil by making a commitment to recognise a Palestinian state but not being able to then say if those preconditions are going to be met'. 'There wasn't the engagement with the opposition up until this point,' Mr Wilson said. 'I would have thought that actually having an engagement with the opposition for a lasting policy position from the Australian government would be a sensible way forward. 'They've chosen not to take that path.' When announcing his Palestine pledge, Mr Albanese outlined four 'commitments' he secured from Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority (PA). The first two were Hamas having 'no role' in a future Palestinian state and the PA recognising 'Israel's right to exist in peace and security'. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly. Martin Ollman / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia While Mr Albanese said Mr Abbas 'reaffirmed' his support for the second point, the PA administers the West Bank and has no presence in Gaza or over Hamas. The PA itself is often criticised for its corruption, ineffectiveness and lack of elections. The last presidential vote was in 2005. It also faces accusations of supporting terrorism by paying families of 'martyrs' – Palestinians wounded or killed in flare-ups with Israel. Mr Albanese said Mr Abbas also committed to scrapping the 'Martyrs Fund' as part of broader transparency reforms, demilitarising, and holding elections. Both independent experts and the opposition have said it is impossible for these commitments to be fulfilled before the UN General Assembly, where Mr Albanese and several other Western leaders have vowed to recognise Palestine.

Coalition frontbencher accuses government of failing to consult on Palestinian recognition
Coalition frontbencher accuses government of failing to consult on Palestinian recognition

ABC News

time6 hours ago

  • ABC News

Coalition frontbencher accuses government of failing to consult on Palestinian recognition

Coalition frontbencher Tim Wilson has chided the government for failing to consult with the opposition before breaking with a long-held bipartisan position to recognise Palestinian statehood next month, suggesting instead to align with the United States. After much anticipation the prime minister earlier this week announced that Australia would join with France, the United Kingdom and Canada to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations meeting in September. The move was immediately rejected by the Coalition which argued it would embolden Hamas, the listed terror organisation in control of the Gaza Strip, and vowed to reverse recognition if elected in three years' time. Mr Wilson — who was re-elected at this year's election and immediately elevated to the frontbench as the shadow minister for industrial relations, employment and small business — told ABC's Insiders on Sunday that "there wasn't engagement" with the opposition before the government's announcement. "I would have thought that actually having an engagement with the opposition for a lasting policy position from the Australian government would be a sensible way forward," he said. "They've chosen not to take that path." Both sides of Australian politics support a two-state solution in the Middle East, meaning an Israeli state and a Palestinian state existing side-by-side. But the Coalition believes that Palestinian recognition, which would ultimately be required for that outcome, should only occur at the end of a negotiated peace process. That process would have to include the return of Israeli hostages and the removal of Hamas, Mr Wilson said, wearing a yellow ribbon pin that signifies support for the hostages. "We've set pre-conditions and we've been very public about that. Up until last Monday that was also the position of the government," he said. "Now, what the government has done is essentially throw that into turmoil by making a commitment to recognise a Palestinian state, but not being able to then say if those preconditions are going to be met, that they're going to back down." The government has said its decision to recognise Palestinian statehood now after more than seven decades was part of a "coordinated global effort" to build momentum towards a two-state solution and put an end to the conflict. Announcing the plan, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was predicated on commitments given by the Palestinian Authority, which controls the West Bank, that it would reform governance, demilitarise and hold general elections. He also pointed to the authority's recognition of Israel's right to exist and stressed that Hamas could have no role in a future state. Mr Wilson did not say what the Coalition believed the government should do instead to encourage an end to the war in Gaza, stating only that "Australia is very limited in what it can do apart from exercise its voice internationally". He also stressed that the United States and Israel needed to be part of any resolution, suggesting the decision to move on recognition now had limited Australia's influence over allies' actions. "What we've [the opposition] sought to do is to take a position that works with countries like the United States because they need to be part of the resolution to a long-lasting solution," he said. "What they [the government] have done is written a blank cheque, very clearly, to those who are sponsoring terror." Earlier this week, the US ambassador to Israel Mark Huckabee said Australia's decision was met with disgust by senior members of the Trump administration and that the timing of it hurt chances of negotiating a deal with Hamas. "This is a gift to them [Hamas] and it's unfortunate," he told ABC's 7.30. Mr Albanese rejected accusations by Israel that Palestinian recognition was a reward for Hamas, even after the group released a statement to ABC applauding Australia's action. "Such a move reflects a growing global awareness of the necessity to end the injustice suffered by our people for decades," Hamas media director Ismail Al-Thawabta said this week. "We call on the Australian government to translate this recognition into concrete actions — by exerting diplomatic pressure to end the Israeli occupation." The Australian prime minister has repeatedly said that Hamas will be excluded from the process of Palestinian recognition, as the international community works with the Palestinian Authority to bring democratic elections back to the territory. He has also repeatedly pointed to a statement from the Arab League, which is made up of countries neighbouring Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, that said Hamas can have no role in a future state.

Israeli military prepares to relocate people in Gaza
Israeli military prepares to relocate people in Gaza

The Advertiser

time8 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Israeli military prepares to relocate people in Gaza

Gaza residents will be provided with tents and other shelter equipment, ahead of relocating them from combat zones to the south of the enclave "to ensure their safety", the Israeli military says. This comes days after Israel said it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban centre, in a plan that raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, home to about 2.2 million people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that before launching the offensive, the civilian population will be evacuated to what he described as "safe zones" from Gaza City, which he called Hamas' last stronghold. The shelter equipment will be transferred via the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza by the United Nations and other international relief organisations after being inspected by defence ministry personnel, the military said. The UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Israeli announcement, however, it warned on Thursday that thousands of families already enduring appalling humanitarian conditions could be pushed over the edge if the Gaza City plan moves ahead. "Nowhere is safe in Gaza," it said on a Saturday post on X, adding that an average of 28 children had been killed every day since the war began. Palestinian and United Nations officials have said no place in the enclave is safe, including areas in southern Gaza where Israel has been ordering residents to move to. The military declined to comment when asked whether the shelter equipment was intended for Gaza City's population estimated at around one million people presently, and whether the site to which they will be relocated in southern Gaza would be the area of Rafah, which borders Egypt. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday plans for the new offensive were still being formulated. The Palestinian militant faction Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, said that the military's announcement "as part of its brutal attack to occupy Gaza City, is a blatant and brazen mockery of international conventions". However, Israeli forces have already increased operations on the outskirts of Gaza City over the past week. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire. Residents there have also reported explosions throughout the day, resulting from Israeli tank shelling against homes in the eastern parts of the neighbourhood. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have also reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire. The Israeli military said on Friday it had begun a new operation in Zeitoun to locate explosives, destroy tunnels and kill militants in the area. The war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities, and 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are still alive. Israel's subsequent military assault against Hamas has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced most of Gaza's population and left much of the enclave in ruins. Protests calling for a hostage release and an end to the war were expected throughout Israel on Sunday, with many businesses, municipalities and universities saying they will support employees striking for the day. Gaza residents will be provided with tents and other shelter equipment, ahead of relocating them from combat zones to the south of the enclave "to ensure their safety", the Israeli military says. This comes days after Israel said it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban centre, in a plan that raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, home to about 2.2 million people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that before launching the offensive, the civilian population will be evacuated to what he described as "safe zones" from Gaza City, which he called Hamas' last stronghold. The shelter equipment will be transferred via the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza by the United Nations and other international relief organisations after being inspected by defence ministry personnel, the military said. The UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Israeli announcement, however, it warned on Thursday that thousands of families already enduring appalling humanitarian conditions could be pushed over the edge if the Gaza City plan moves ahead. "Nowhere is safe in Gaza," it said on a Saturday post on X, adding that an average of 28 children had been killed every day since the war began. Palestinian and United Nations officials have said no place in the enclave is safe, including areas in southern Gaza where Israel has been ordering residents to move to. The military declined to comment when asked whether the shelter equipment was intended for Gaza City's population estimated at around one million people presently, and whether the site to which they will be relocated in southern Gaza would be the area of Rafah, which borders Egypt. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday plans for the new offensive were still being formulated. The Palestinian militant faction Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, said that the military's announcement "as part of its brutal attack to occupy Gaza City, is a blatant and brazen mockery of international conventions". However, Israeli forces have already increased operations on the outskirts of Gaza City over the past week. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire. Residents there have also reported explosions throughout the day, resulting from Israeli tank shelling against homes in the eastern parts of the neighbourhood. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have also reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire. The Israeli military said on Friday it had begun a new operation in Zeitoun to locate explosives, destroy tunnels and kill militants in the area. The war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities, and 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are still alive. Israel's subsequent military assault against Hamas has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced most of Gaza's population and left much of the enclave in ruins. Protests calling for a hostage release and an end to the war were expected throughout Israel on Sunday, with many businesses, municipalities and universities saying they will support employees striking for the day. Gaza residents will be provided with tents and other shelter equipment, ahead of relocating them from combat zones to the south of the enclave "to ensure their safety", the Israeli military says. This comes days after Israel said it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban centre, in a plan that raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, home to about 2.2 million people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that before launching the offensive, the civilian population will be evacuated to what he described as "safe zones" from Gaza City, which he called Hamas' last stronghold. The shelter equipment will be transferred via the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza by the United Nations and other international relief organisations after being inspected by defence ministry personnel, the military said. The UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Israeli announcement, however, it warned on Thursday that thousands of families already enduring appalling humanitarian conditions could be pushed over the edge if the Gaza City plan moves ahead. "Nowhere is safe in Gaza," it said on a Saturday post on X, adding that an average of 28 children had been killed every day since the war began. Palestinian and United Nations officials have said no place in the enclave is safe, including areas in southern Gaza where Israel has been ordering residents to move to. The military declined to comment when asked whether the shelter equipment was intended for Gaza City's population estimated at around one million people presently, and whether the site to which they will be relocated in southern Gaza would be the area of Rafah, which borders Egypt. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday plans for the new offensive were still being formulated. The Palestinian militant faction Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, said that the military's announcement "as part of its brutal attack to occupy Gaza City, is a blatant and brazen mockery of international conventions". However, Israeli forces have already increased operations on the outskirts of Gaza City over the past week. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire. Residents there have also reported explosions throughout the day, resulting from Israeli tank shelling against homes in the eastern parts of the neighbourhood. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have also reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire. The Israeli military said on Friday it had begun a new operation in Zeitoun to locate explosives, destroy tunnels and kill militants in the area. The war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities, and 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are still alive. Israel's subsequent military assault against Hamas has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced most of Gaza's population and left much of the enclave in ruins. Protests calling for a hostage release and an end to the war were expected throughout Israel on Sunday, with many businesses, municipalities and universities saying they will support employees striking for the day. Gaza residents will be provided with tents and other shelter equipment, ahead of relocating them from combat zones to the south of the enclave "to ensure their safety", the Israeli military says. This comes days after Israel said it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban centre, in a plan that raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, home to about 2.2 million people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that before launching the offensive, the civilian population will be evacuated to what he described as "safe zones" from Gaza City, which he called Hamas' last stronghold. The shelter equipment will be transferred via the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza by the United Nations and other international relief organisations after being inspected by defence ministry personnel, the military said. The UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Israeli announcement, however, it warned on Thursday that thousands of families already enduring appalling humanitarian conditions could be pushed over the edge if the Gaza City plan moves ahead. "Nowhere is safe in Gaza," it said on a Saturday post on X, adding that an average of 28 children had been killed every day since the war began. Palestinian and United Nations officials have said no place in the enclave is safe, including areas in southern Gaza where Israel has been ordering residents to move to. The military declined to comment when asked whether the shelter equipment was intended for Gaza City's population estimated at around one million people presently, and whether the site to which they will be relocated in southern Gaza would be the area of Rafah, which borders Egypt. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday plans for the new offensive were still being formulated. The Palestinian militant faction Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, said that the military's announcement "as part of its brutal attack to occupy Gaza City, is a blatant and brazen mockery of international conventions". However, Israeli forces have already increased operations on the outskirts of Gaza City over the past week. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire. Residents there have also reported explosions throughout the day, resulting from Israeli tank shelling against homes in the eastern parts of the neighbourhood. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia have also reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire. The Israeli military said on Friday it had begun a new operation in Zeitoun to locate explosives, destroy tunnels and kill militants in the area. The war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities, and 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are still alive. Israel's subsequent military assault against Hamas has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced most of Gaza's population and left much of the enclave in ruins. Protests calling for a hostage release and an end to the war were expected throughout Israel on Sunday, with many businesses, municipalities and universities saying they will support employees striking for the day.

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