Israel has continued its airstrikes and bombings in the Gaza Strip, seemingly compensating for the ground operation rumored to be in progress since the beginning of the conflict. This ground operation has been reportedly postponed according to multiple sources. Meanwhile, Palestinian faction rockets continue to target Israeli settlements and cities, covering a significant portion of the Israeli map.
The Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Israeli military has bombarded Gaza with explosives equivalent to a ‘quarter nuclear bomb.’ The Observatory also mentioned that Israel is currently killing an average of 14 Palestinians per hour. These airstrikes have resulted in the destruction of more than 17,000 residential buildings and damage to approximately 87,000 housing units. Israeli airstrikes have caused numerous casualties and injuries, with a focus on civilian homes and residential buildings. Among these, a house belonging to the Radee family in the Nusairat camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip was targeted. Additionally, two houses in the Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip were hit. At least 17 people were killed, and others were injured after the bombing of a house belonging to the Zaqmaat family in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. They were transported to Nasser Hospital in the city according to the Palestinian Wafa News Agency.
On the other hand, the Palestinian Ministry of Interior in Gaza has warned of a humanitarian and environmental catastrophe in the Gaza Strip due to more than 1,000 corpses buried under the rubble of destroyed homes.
Regarding infrastructure, Jwad Al-Agha, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, said that 10,500 housing units have been completely destroyed due to the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza.
Safe Zones and Forced Displacement Plans: In the same context, a senior Gaza official accused Israel of attempting to promote a forced displacement plan by enhancing the concept of safe zones. Salama Maroof, the head of the media office for the Hamas movement, told reporters in Gaza that Israel is using propaganda tools in an attempt to convince the Gaza population to leave their homes as part of a forced displacement plan from the Gaza Strip.
In response, the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, along with other Palestinian factions, continued their rocket attacks on the Israeli interior. The Knesset building was evacuated after sirens sounded following a volley of rockets launched from Gaza during a session attended by President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Television footage showed lawmakers fleeing to bomb shelters, and the session was adjourned.
Meanwhile, Israel continued to deny entry for humanitarian aid and the evacuation of foreign passport holders. Egypt and Israel, along with the United States, agreed to a temporary ceasefire in southern Gaza for a few hours to facilitate aid delivery and the evacuation process at the Rafah border crossing. However, Benjamin Netanyahu’s office denied the existence of any ceasefire or humanitarian aid agreement in Gaza. Hamas also denied any ceasefire announcement or the reopening of the Rafah crossing.
In addition, Hamas denied reports that Israel has resumed water supplies to the Gaza Strip. Iyad al-Buzm, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior of Hamas, stated that Israel has not resumed water supplies to Gaza.
