Journalism of Courage
Palestinians are fleeing parts of Gaza City after Israeli troops began the first stage of a planned ground assault, establishing footholds on the city’s outskirts following days of heavy bombardment.
Hundreds of families from the Zeitoun and Sabra neighbourhoods have already fled, with residents describing “relentless explosions” shaking homes through the night. The UN and Red Cross warned that further displacement and intensifying strikes could trigger an irreversible humanitarian catastrophe.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire, warning that a military assault on Gaza City and other densely populated areas would unleash catastrophic human costs.
“It is vital to reach a ceasefire immediately and the unconditional release of all hostages to avoid the massive death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause,” Guterres said in Tokyo. French President Emmanuel Macron warned the campaign risks “a permanent cycle of war” across the region.
Israel says the offensive, approved by Defence Minister Israel Katz, aims to dismantle Hamas’s last “strongholds” in Gaza City. Two brigades are operating in Zeitoun, with another in Jabalia, where tunnels and weapons caches have been uncovered.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to “shorten the timelines” for seizing Gaza City, rejecting partial ceasefire proposals that Hamas claims to have accepted. Israel is demanding the release of all hostages before any truce.
Anger spills into the streets
In a rare show of dissent in Gaza City, hundreds of Palestinians gathered on Thursday amid the rubble of destroyed buildings, waving flags and placards reading “Save Gaza” and “Stop the war.” Women and children joined the demonstrations, demanding an end to both the bombardment and the forced displacements.
“We want the war on Gaza to stop. We don’t want to migrate. Twenty-two months … it’s enough. Enough death. Enough destruction,” said Bisan Ghazal, a displaced resident.
Amjad Al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGO Network, warned that Gaza was on the brink of erasure. “We have lost more than 10% of our residents, 85% of our buildings and infrastructure, and much of our cultural and historic heritage. All of Gaza is threatened with destruction.”
In Israel, relatives of the remaining hostages still held in Gaza marched in Tel Aviv, warning that a fresh offensive would doom any chance of bringing them home alive. “Enough to sacrifice the hostages. Enough to sacrifice the soldiers,” said Bar Goddard, whose father’s body is still being held by Hamas.
The civil defence agency said at least 25 people were killed Wednesday in strikes across the territory, including three children and their parents in Gaza’s Shati refugee camp.
With Israel set to call up 60,000 reservists, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are expected to be ordered south, even as food, water and medicine remain critically scarce.
Since October 2023, at least 62,122 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the enclave’s health ministry.
(With Inputs from Associated Press and BBC)
