CAIRO. Israeli forces stormed a neighborhood in Gaza City on Thursday, commanding Palestinians to move south as tanks advanced and airstrikes continued. The southern city of Rafah was also bombarded as Israel claims it is in the final stages of an operation targeting Hamas militants.
Residents in the Shejaia neighborhood were caught off guard by the sudden arrival of tanks and drones launching attacks following overnight bombings. Mohammad Jamal, a 25-year-old resident of Gaza City, described the scene: “It sounded as if the war is restarting, a series of bombings that destroyed several houses in our area and shook the buildings.”
The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service reported casualties in Shejaia but stated that rescue teams could not reach the victims due to the ongoing offensive. Initial reports indicated three fatalities from the earlier bombing and five deaths in the Sabra neighborhood.
Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, claimed responsibility for detonating an explosive device against an Israeli tank east of Shejaia.
Israel maintains that militants are using civilians as shields and urges residents to evacuate to avoid harm. “To all residents and displaced people in the Shujaiya area and the new neighborhoods… For your safety, you must evacuate immediately south on Salah al-Din Street to the humanitarian zone,” army spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on X.
Despite the warning, residents and Hamas media reported that the tanks had already entered before the evacuation notice was issued, forcing people to flee westward under fire as the road south was blocked.
More than eight months into Israel’s war on Gaza, triggered by a Hamas-led cross-border attack on October 7, aid officials warn that the enclave is at high risk of famine, with nearly half a million people facing “catastrophic” food insecurity.
“We are being starved in Gaza City, and are being hunted by tanks and planes with no hope that this war is ever ending,” Jamal lamented.
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.
