GAZA: Palestinians on Monday fled heavy Israeli bombardment in Gaza City, Rafah, and Khan Younis as the Israeli military expanded an evacuation order nine months into its relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza.
While indiscriminate bombardment raged, Hamas and Israel staked their claims for ceasefire talks as mediators Egypt and Qatar were due to host new meetings this week, officials said.
Reports from the ground described chaotic scenes as Palestinian civilians fled their homes in Gaza City’s Al-Daraj and Al-Tuffah neighborhoods following renewed airstrikes and ground incursions by Israeli troops. Israeli troops and tanks pushed into parts of Gaza City, in the besieged territory’s north.
The Civil Defense agency of the Palestinian territory reported thousands on the move, some on foot and others using carts, amidst rubble-strewn streets and ongoing explosions.
Muhammad Bisan, a resident of Gaza City, recounted a harrowing night of relentless Israeli bombardment. “Planes and artillery are bombing and drones are firing from all directions,” he told AFP. “We do not know where to run.”
The Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued new evacuation orders for parts of Gaza City’s west, underscoring the widening scope of the military operation in the densely populated urban area. Israel’s military struck Rafah and Khan Younis areas of southern Gaza.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation continued to deteriorate as casualties mounted. The Palestinian health ministry reported at least 40 deaths in the past 24 hours alone, bringing the total number of Palestinian fatalities since October 7 last year to over 38,193, mostly women and children.
Amidst the escalating violence, diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire saw mediators from Egypt and Qatar preparing for new rounds of talks this week. These efforts aim to establish an initial six-week ceasefire, potentially paving the way for a broader agreement to end the protracted conflict.
Hamas officials indicated a willingness to compromise on their demand for a complete ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces, a stance previously rejected by Israel. An unnamed senior Hamas official noted assurances from mediators that negotiations would continue alongside the ceasefire.
Egypt’s state-linked Al-Qahera News said Cairo would host Israeli and US delegations in a new push in the months-long effort toward a truce.
Israel has said it would also be sending negotiators to Qatar, and an official with knowledge of the mediation said US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director William Burns would also go to Qatar this week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office reiterated Israel’s stance, emphasizing that any ceasefire deal must allow Israel to military operations in Gaza. The military operations targeted areas including the headquarters of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, raising concerns about civilian safety and humanitarian access.
Gaza’s Civil Defence reported “dozens of martyrs and wounded” across the coastal territory, saying rescuers were unable to reach some areas due to the intense fighting.
A Hamas senior official on Monday accused the Israeli premier of stepping up bombardment in order to derail the latest truce effort.
“Whenever a round of negotiations begins and a breakthrough is within reach, he… escalates the aggression,” the Hamas official charged, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Two separate strikes, on Saturday in the central Nuseirat refugee camp and on Sunday in Gaza City, killed people in schools turned into displacement shelters.
The United Nations estimates 90 percent of Gazans have fled their homes.
In response to the escalation, protests erupted in Israeli cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, where demonstrators demanded a hostage release deal and urged new elections to address the ongoing crisis. “Our message to the government is very simple,” said demonstrator Yehuda Cohen, the father of kidnapped soldier Nimrod Cohen. “There is a deal on the table. Take it.”
Beyond Gaza, tensions also flared with Hezbollah, as Israel engaged in near-daily cross-border exchanges with the Lebanese group.
Israel on Saturday struck deep inside eastern Lebanon, killing a Hezbollah fighter, an attack that sparked major rocket and drone barrages by the movement.
On Monday, the Israeli military said an air strike had killed a Hezbollah fighter in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah announced the fighter’s death without elaborating.
