GAZA CITY — Israel’s army has intensified its assault on Gaza City, advancing from two directions in a move that residents describe as a “sandwich” strategy, trapping civilians and pushing them toward the coast.
The assault on Gaza City
According to Al Jazeera, Israeli tanks, artillery, and infantry — backed by air power — are pressing into the city’s center from the northwest and southeast. Military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani told Reuters the goal is to apply pressure on Hamas, but the offensive has left civilians caught in the crossfire.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Nuseirat, said the maneuvers are “sandwiching people in the middle” and forcing them westward toward the al-Rashid coastal road. Residents described relentless drone strikes, fighter jet bombardments, and the use of remote-controlled robots loaded with explosives to flatten neighborhoods.
At least 40 people were killed in Gaza City on Thursday, medical sources told Al Jazeera.
Mass displacement and fear
Al Jazeera reported that about 40,000 Palestinians fled Gaza City in recent days, running from overcrowded neighborhoods under bombardment. Witnesses described scenes of panic as families packed whatever they could carry and fled on foot.
But countless others remain. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics estimated that 740,000 people — roughly 35% of Gaza’s population — were still in the north as of Tuesday. Aid agencies warn that number is dropping daily as services collapse.
The UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA) said Gaza City’s last lifelines are failing, accusing Israel of “systematically blocking” aid, including closing the Zikim crossing and banning key food items.
No safe haven
Families fleeing Gaza City face displacement into an enclave already described as devoid of safe zones. Many fear this may be the final time they see their homes.
“The attacks on overcrowded neighbourhoods are causing panic and fear, and pushing people literally to run for their lives,” Mahmoud reported.
Outside the city, medical sources said at least 10 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire elsewhere in Gaza on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Israeli military confirmed the deaths of four soldiers during clashes in Rafah.
International response
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) accused Israel of showing “blatant disregard” for international law by failing to distinguish between civilians and combatants in its air attacks.
Humanitarian officials warn that without urgent aid access, Gaza’s north faces worsening famine alongside the escalating violence.
