GAZA: Israeli forces intensified bombardment on Gaza City and pushed with a major offensive on Tuesday that has again displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians, as UN experts said children were dying in a “starvation campaign”.
The latest wave of Israeli bombardment has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the besieged Palestinian territory. The intensified attacks come on the eve of new truce talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt, aimed at negotiating a hostage-prisoner exchange and ending the protracted conflict now in its tenth month.
Israeli forces, including troops, tanks, and fighter jets, focused their operations on Gaza’s largest urban area, extending the scope of bombardment from eastern Shujaiya to other parts of the city’s east, west, and south. Reports from residents described helicopter strikes, explosions, and ongoing gun battles, marking a significant escalation in the violence that has already displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians.
The United Nations expressed grave concern over the situation, with the UN Human Rights Office condemning the displacement of Palestinian civilians into areas still under Israeli military operations, where they remain at risk of further harm. Thousands of Palestinians, carrying what belongings they could salvage, were observed fleeing the bombardment, seeking refuge in already overcrowded areas further south in Gaza.
Meanwhile, independent UN rights experts accused Israel of conducting a “targeted starvation campaign” against Palestinians, which they described as a form of genocidal violence. They reported that at least 34 Palestinians, primarily children, had died from malnutrition since the conflict’s escalation began last October.
The death toll in Gaza has continued to climb, with the territory’s health ministry reporting at least 38,243 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since October 7. The toll included at least 50 Palestinians killed within the past 24 hours alone, according to the ministry’s latest figures.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue behind closed doors, with CIA Director William Burns and Mossad Chief David Barnea scheduled to travel to Qatar for negotiations. These talks are crucial for potentially reaching a ceasefire agreement and initiating broader peace discussions between Israel and Hamas.
However, challenges persist as both sides have set conditions for any potential agreements. Hamas has signalled that it would drop its condition of a “complete” ceasefire — which Israel had repeatedly rejected — as a condition for starting talks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that any ceasefire must allow Israel to achieve its strategic goals, including the neutralization of Hamas.
