Israel Declares Gaza City Dangerous Combat Zone, Genocide Escalates
The IOF confirmed it is preparing to “expand operations against Hamas in Gaza City,” while COGAT said arrangements were being made “to move the population southward
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM - The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) announced on Friday that as of 10:00 a.m. local time (0700 GMT), the so-called local tactical pause in military operations would no longer apply to Gaza City, declaring it a “dangerous combat zone.”
The United Nations estimates nearly one million people currently live in Gaza governorate, which includes Gaza City and surrounding northern areas.
The IOF confirmed it is preparing to “expand operations against Hamas in Gaza City,” while COGAT — the Israeli body overseeing occupied Palestinian territories — said arrangements were being made “for moving the population southward.”
Footage and eyewitness accounts depict mass flight from the city. AFP video from Thursday showed vehicles piled high with mattresses, chairs, and personal belongings as displaced residents headed south.
“My heart is burning. We don’t want to leave our home. We’re exhausted, driven north and south with no relief,” said Mohammed Abu Qamar, 42, originally from Jabalia camp. “Death is closing in around us. We walk on the road, not knowing if we’ll reach safety or die halfway there.”
Abdul Karim Al-Damagh, 64, said Friday marked the fifth time he had been displaced since the war began. “Today, once again, I must abandon what remains of my home and memories… The south may be a bit quieter than here, but it’s not safe. Fear chases us, and death is always near,” he told AFP.
Rising Civilian Casualties in Intensified Attacks
At least 41 Palestinians have been killed and dozens more wounded in a wave of Israeli strikes since dawn Friday.
Medical staff at al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat reported receiving four bodies and treating 10 wounded after Israeli forces struck crowds near an aid distribution point on Salah al-Din Street, south of Wadi Gaza.
In Block 7 of al-Bureij refugee camp, two people were killed when Israeli warplanes bombed the ruins of a previously destroyed house belonging to the Qreinawi family.
In Rafah’s al-Shakoush area, the IOF opened fire on Palestinians waiting for aid, killing two and injuring several others. Separately, an Israeli drone strike targeted residents on a street in Khan Younis’ Mawasi area, wounding multiple civilians.
Famine Deaths and Ministry of Health Warnings
The Director-General of the Palestinian Ministry of Health told Al Jazeera that contrary to Israeli media claims, there is no tactical ceasefire in Gaza. He accused Israeli forces of committing various forms of genocide, including psychological warfare, and stressed that Gaza’s residents do not want to leave, predicting that the occupation’s displacement plans would fail.
Since the UN declared famine in Gaza, 39 people have died from starvation, including six children. The official confirmed that the toll from hunger continues to rise as bombardments and blockades restrict aid delivery.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Israeli forces, in cooperation with the Shin Bet, had retrieved the body of an Israeli captive from Gaza. He vowed to continue the war until all captives — living and dead — are returned, as the IOF said it had begun the preliminary phase of its assault on Gaza City. (PW)