Gaza (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Israel’s military announced on Wednesday that it had established a temporary new route for people to escape Gaza City, a day after launching a large-scale ground operation aimed at defeating Hamas.
The Israeli military launched a barrage of airstrikes on Gaza City just before dawn on Tuesday, while its troops pushed further into Gaza’s largest urban centre. The Israeli military announced Wednesday it would begin creating an emergency evacuation corridor through Salah al-Din Street in the vicinity of Khan Younis.
Colonel Avichay Adraee, an Arabic-speaking spokesman for the Israeli military, stated the corridor would only operate for 48 hours starting Thursday at noon (0900 GMT).
So far, the army has been demanding that residents evacuate Gaza City along the coastal road, heading towards an area it calls a “humanitarian zone” located further south, which includes parts of Al-Mawasi. Salah al-Din Street stretches across the Gaza Strip from north to south.
What conditions are civilians facing while evacuating the city?
As of the end of August, the United Nations estimated that about one million people were living in Gaza City and its surrounding areas. Journalists have reported a new wave of departures in recent days, and the Israeli army stated Wednesday that over 350,000 people have fled south so far.
Multiple Palestinians interviewed by AFP in Gaza claim there’s no safe spot in the territory and say they’d rather die in their homes than be forced to relocate again.
On Tuesday, the Israeli army said it had launched a major ground operation in Gaza City, and people described the nonstop bombing in Gaza City, where much of the city is already destroyed after nearly two years of Israeli airstrikes. A residential block in the north of the city, hit by Israel’s bombardment, was reduced to a huge pile of rubble.
According to Gaza’s civil defence, a rescue force under Hamas authority, at least 44 people were killed by Israeli fire on Tuesday.
What did the UN report say about Israel’s actions?
On Tuesday, a United Nations probe found Israel guilty of committing “genocide” in the Palestinian territory, declaring PM Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officeholders had instigated the crime.
How did Antonio Guterres respond to Israel’s actions?
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that he doesn’t think Israel is willing to engage in a “serious negotiation” to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and secure the release of hostages.
At a news conference in New York, Guterres answered a question about whether member states should push for a force to protect civilians in Gaza. According to Guterres, such a force wouldn’t be feasible, as the US and Israel would reject it. He also noted that with 400 UN staff members killed in the Israel-Hamas war, the UN lacks the means to effectively safeguard civilians.
