The Israeli forces were expanding their offensive to Gaza on Sunday, taking control of more territory and issuing new evacuation orders for residents who had recently returned to their homes.
Israeli military renewed his offensive in Gaza Last week after talks to expand a fragile and temporary cessation of the fire that came into force in mid -January, it reached an amount. On Sunday, he said that these operations had moved to additional areas to the north and south of the enclave.
Israel said that his troops had begun operating in Beit Hanoun, north of Gaza, to expand a buffer area. The military also said that he had made more aerial attacks on Hamas’ goals and infrastructure, which allowed people to evacuate.
The military also issued an evacuation order for the Sultan district of the city of South Rafah, telling residents to go on foot along a specific route and prevent the movement of vehicles.
The municipality of Rafah said in a statement that thousands of families were forced to flee on foot under bombing During the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. This left them homeless in the midst of a serious shortage of basic needs and tents due to the closing of the Israeli government of the crossings in Gaza, said the municipality.
« I am listening to many fires and bombings, » said Riham Abu Marzouq, 22, in a telephone call on Sunday afternoon while fleeing his house to Rafah with nine relatives. « Now we walk, » he added, spicy and struggling to breathe.
In the midst of climbing in the fight and evacuation orders, the Gaza Ministry of Health said on Sunday that the number of deaths in the enclave since the war had overcome 50,000 people, including 39 people killed in Israeli bombings on the last day. The figures of the ministry do not distinguish between civilians and fighters.
Hamas announced that Israel had assassinated a superior member of his political office, Salah al-Bardawil, at night. The group said that the Lord Al-Bardawil, one of the leading spokesmen of the militant group, had been killed together with his wife on a strike in his tent in Al-Mawasi, an area in southern Gaza that the Israeli military had designated as a humanitarian area and which directed such al-Sultan residents on Sunday.
After noon on Sunday, the military said that their troops had completely surrounded Al-Sultan, they had eliminated several fighters and had attacked a place that he had been used in recent months as a Hamas control and control center.
Neither claim could be verified independently.
The Palestinian civil defense in Gaza warned Sunday of « imminent danger that threatened the life » of more than 50,000 people in Rafah.
« The situation in Rafah is very difficult, » said Huthayfah Lafi, a resident of the southern city, who lives near Al-Sultan. He said he had decided not to evacuate the area on Sunday « until the situation becomes clearer » because « we have nothing else. »
And the Palestinian red grown said that he had lost contact with four of his ambulances saying that they were trapped in Rafah and that the crew members were injured by Israeli gun shots. The Israeli army said he was studying the reports, but did not immediately provide any comment.
Mohammed Abu Taha, 42, said that his sister Sanaa and his family had been able to return home to Rafah in recent weeks. Around Sunday dawn, « the Israeli tanks were moving towards them, » he said, conveying what his sister had told him on foot while fleeing to the city of Khan Younis, where he has welcomed.
« They were only allowed to carry a small bag, » said Abu Taha.
The Israeli government has said that the offensive renewed, along with blocking the entry of all goods and humanitarian aid to Gaza, is aimed at Increased pressure on Hamas to release hostages It still remains at the enclave and destroying the group’s military and governing capabilities.
The hostages were brought to Gaza during the attack by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which lit the war. Hamas has so far refused to release a significant number of hostages unless Israel promises to end the war permanently. Israel has conditioned the war against Hamas, which agrees to give up his arms and power in Gaza.
The resumption of the military campaign in Gaza has not found the same national consensus among the Israelis as the war after the immediate assaults of October 2023. Instead, it has increased concerns about the destinations of hostages, up to 24 of which they are believed to be still alive, and has left many Israelians questioning what could be achieved militarily that it was not achieved in the first 15 months of struggle.
Reports were contributed by Myra Novck, Abu Bakr Bashir, Bilal Shbair and Iyad abuheweila.
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