Israeli air attacks in the surroundings of Gaza Strip have resulted in the loss of over 400 lives and extensive damages was observed on residential buildings. An 11-storey building located in Gaza City of Al-Nasr neighborhood, housing around 80 families were struck by Israeli aircraft, displacing numerous residents and rendering them homeless. Residents from the Beit Lahia neighborhood in northern Gaza, have been compelled to abandon their homes due to “indiscriminate bombing” by Israel. Many families, including Salah’s, have sought refuge in schools operated by UN to escape from the ongoing violence.
The Israel National Security Council issued a warning, convincing its citizens to avoid traveling to Middle Eastern countries and asked those who were already in the region to depart immediately. This advisory was made after a tragic incident in which an Egyptian police officer took a shot on Israeli tourists in Alexandria, resulting in the loss of two Israeli lives and one Egyptian.
Lloyd Austin, US Defense Secretary made an announcement to relocate a carrier strike group, comprising the Ford carrier along with the support vessels. Addressing the reporters at UN headquarters, Israel’s Ambassador condemns the act of capturing Israelis and transporting them to Gaza, categorizing it as a war crime. This criticism comes amidst the backdrop of the UN’s report, emphasizing that this year marks the deadliest for Palestinians since 2006. Before this escalation, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported that over 200 Palestinians had lost their lives in incidents involving Israeli fire since the beginning of the year.
A spokesperson for the Israeli military, Jonathan Conricus, announced that approximately 100,000 reserve troops is assembled in southern Israel as part of ongoing efforts in the conflict with Hamas. Their primary objective was to eliminate Hamas’s military capabilities and ensure that Hamas would not continue governing the Gaza Strip. Conricus further mentioned that Israeli troops are actively pursuing the remaining Palestinian fighters who had invaded southern Israel.
According to Al Jazeera correspondents, an Israeli army commander has reportedly been injured during these confrontations. Ongoing clashes persist between Hamas fighters and Israeli forces in three key locations within southern Israel, including a kibbutz in Karmia, as well as the cities of Ashkelon and Sderot.
The UN humanitarian relief agency reports that Israeli air attacks and shelling, specifically targeting residential structures, led to the displacement of approximately 123,538 Palestinians in Gaza. Among those displaced, around 64 schools within the coastal enclave, as detailed in the latest update from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The report highlights the significant destruction caused by Israeli attacks, including four large towers containing multiple residential floors. It further notes that a total of 159 housing units have been completely destroyed, while 1,210 others have suffered severe damage.
