Israel announced on Wednesday that its forces are seizing “large areas” of Gaza, intensifying military pressure on the territory as a deadly airstrike killed at least 23 people, mostly women and children. The strike comes amid a renewed Israeli offensive and an ongoing blockade that has pushed Gaza’s 2.4 million residents closer to famine.
During a visit to the recently declared Morag Corridor between Rafah and Khan Yunis, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Gaza is becoming “smaller and more isolated,” with new zones being added to Israel’s security buffer. He reiterated that Israel will keep up the pressure until hostages are released and Hamas is defeated.
Katz also stated that Israel is supporting plans for “voluntary emigration” from Gaza, in line with a vision previously endorsed by former U.S. President Donald Trump, which involves turning Gaza into a regional economic hub while displacing its population.
As fighting raged on Wednesday, Gaza’s civil defense reported that an Israeli airstrike leveled a residential building in the Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza City, killing 23 people and injuring over 60. Many of the dead were children and women.
Mahmud Bassal, spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defense, described the aftermath as “a massacre,” noting that people remain trapped beneath the rubble. Eyewitness Ayub Salim recounted seeing missiles rain down on an area packed with displaced civilians, tents, and homes. “The scene was terrifying and indescribable,” he said. “The dead were torn to pieces.”
Rescue crews struggled to dig through collapsed concrete floors to recover bodies, many of them children wrapped in blankets. Ibrahim Abu Al-Rish, a first responder, said the attack came as children played inside the building. “We pulled out the remains of women and children. There are still people buried,” he said.
The Israeli military confirmed it had targeted a senior Hamas figure responsible for orchestrating attacks but did not provide a name. Hamas condemned the bombing as “one of the most heinous acts of genocide,” while the Palestinian Authority described it as a “heinous massacre” aimed at forcing Palestinians to flee.
Since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18, breaking a two-month ceasefire, 1,482 Palestinians have been killed, bringing the total death toll to 50,846 since the war began. Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023, which sparked the conflict, killed 1,218 people, mostly civilians.
Despite ongoing hostilities, there are signals of new negotiations for hostage releases. Hamas official Hossam Badran said on Tuesday that a ceasefire is “necessary.” U.S. and Israeli leaders also confirmed that talks are underway.
Source: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2596398/middle-east