CAIRO. Residents of Gaza City fled under heavy Israeli fire as tanks pushed deeper into the city on Tuesday, marking the second day of an intensified military offensive that Hamas warned could jeopardize ongoing ceasefire talks.
Mediators from Qatar and Egypt, with backing from the United States, have been working to secure a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the Gaza conflict and facilitating the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
On Tuesday, Israeli tanks advanced into Gaza City districts, including Shejaia, Sabra, and Tel Al-Hawa. These areas witnessed some of the fiercest fighting since the war began between Israel and Hamas. Social media footage showed families hastily packing onto donkey carts and trucks loaded with belongings, fleeing from areas under Israeli evacuation orders.
“Gaza City is being wiped out, this is what is happening. Israel is forcing us to leave homes under fire,” said Um Tamer, a mother of seven, via a chat app. “We can’t take it anymore, enough of death and humiliation. End the war now,” she added. This was the seventh time her family had fled their home in Gaza City, one of Israel’s initial targets at the war’s onset in October.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that all of its medical clinics in Gaza City were out of service due to the evacuation orders.
The intensified assault coincided with efforts by senior U.S. officials to broker a ceasefire after Hamas made concessions last week. However, the renewed military campaign “could bring the negotiation process back to square one,” stated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Monday.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad’s armed wings claimed to have engaged Israeli forces in Tel Al-Hawa with anti-tank rockets and mortar fire, inflicting casualties. The Israeli military has not yet responded to these claims. In a statement, the Israeli army confirmed ongoing operations in Gaza City, citing intelligence on the presence of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the area. Israeli forces reportedly neutralized dozens of fighters and uncovered numerous weapons.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
