On Wednesday, Israeli forces issued evacuation notices to Palestinians in northern sections of Gaza that bore the brunt of the initial conflict with Hamas in October, as fresh rocket attacks were launched at Israel. The orders were distributed by Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee, who informed multiple districts in Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya, now significantly demolished towns initially invaded by Israeli tanks.
Adraee warned in the messages transmitted via text or social media to local inhabitants that Hamas and other terrorist groups were launching rockets from their vicinity towards Israel, alerting them that the IDF will react with severe and immediate force. For their own safety, Palestinians were urged to seek shelter in the central area of Gaza City.
Despite the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, Israel is anticipating an attack from Iran and its close associate Hezbollah in its northern region, following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. The Israeli military has claimed to have neutralised numerous Gaza militants recently and hit weapon-manufacturing facilities in the heavily populated Deir al-Balah district in the heart of Gaza.
In central Gaza, Israeli tanks targeted Nuseirat and Bureij, two of the Gaza Strip’s long-standing refugee camps. Israel alleges that Hamas militants exploit civilian infrastructure for protection and to mask their operational bases and weapon storerooms, an accusation Hamas refutes.
Militants continue to execute surprise attacks against Israeli forces and tanks using explosives and persist to launch limited rocket attacks into Israel. Islamic Jihad, a close affiliate of Hamas, has claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks on Israel on Tuesday, in retaliation to what they referred to as Israeli “massacres of civilians”.
According to assertions made by the Israeli military, launchers utilised by Hamas in the past week for rocket firing were situated close to two global humanitarian aid depots, one of which belongs to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa. The Israeli military confessed to having attacked these locations.
It was a violent invasion into Israeli settlements by militants led by Hamas that ignited the Gaza conflict on October 7th, as per Israeli reports. This caused the death of 1,200 Israeli inhabitants and foreigners and resulted in about 250 individuals being taken hostage.
Israel has consequently embarked on a relentless offence in Gaza, leading to considerable destruction in the densely populated coastal region. As per figures presented by Gaza’s health department, a minimum of 39,600 Palestinians have been killed and above 91,500 have incurred injuries.
The casualty numbers presented by Gaza’s ministry, led by Hamas, do not differentiate between fighters and non-combatants. – Reuters.