Israel aggressively bombards residential areas in Gaza suburbs; Netanyahu calls for emergency meeting of the Israel's security cabinet
Israel has announced plans for a significant offensive to seize control of Gaza City, with the security cabinet scheduled to convene on Sunday evening to discuss the next stages of the operation. This offensive is seen as a crucial move to neutralize Hamas, which is considered the last important stronghold of the militant group.
Over the past three weeks, the Israeli military has been gradually escalating its operations around Gaza City. On Friday, the military designated the Gaza City area as a "dangerous combat zone," and on Saturday and Sunday, the neighborhood of Sheikh Radwan was under relentless airstrikes and tank shelling.
Residents of Sheikh Radwan were forced to seek shelter in the western parts of Gaza City due to the intense attacks. Rezik Salah, a father of two from the area, stated that Israeli forces are bombing areas from the air and ground to scare people into leaving.
Israeli military spokespeople, including Effie Defrin and Avichay Adraee, have confirmed that forces are already controlling 40 percent of Gaza City and preparations for an expanded ground assault are underway. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the city to be taken faster than initially planned, describing Gaza as the last important stronghold of Hamas.
The Israeli military claims to be unaware of casualties near humanitarian aid distribution points in central Gaza. However, local health authorities report that Israeli gunfire and strikes killed at least 30 people on Sunday, including 13 who were trying to get food from an aid site in central Gaza.
The Israeli military is reportedly moving towards the center of Gaza City from the east, north, and south. This movement has resulted in the displacement of more families from the area, with hundreds of thousands of people now sheltering in the center of Gaza City.
Israel states its intention to evacuate the civilian population before moving more ground forces into Gaza City. However, the full-scale offensive in Gaza City is not expected to start for weeks. The Israeli security cabinet is set to discuss a plan to seize Gaza City on Sunday, August 31.
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