Over 100 people reported dead in first day of Israel's ground offensive in Gaza City

THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS have been forced to flee as Israel has now launched its long-promised ground offensive in Gaza City, where civilians were already struggling in man-made famine conditions. 

The UN has warned that the offensive will forcibly displace one million Palestinians, while the Israeli military said the offensive will go on for several months. 

Al Jazeera is reporting that the death toll for today could be as high as 106 people, with at least 91 of those having been killed directly in Israeli attacks. 

(That information is coming from the outlets from sources in Gaza hospitals). 

CNN is also reporting that more than 100 Palestinians “died in the past 24 hours” according to hospital sources. 

Palestinians in Gaza City told CNN that they believe that Israeli forces are “there to occupy”.

Photos taken today have shown an 11-year-old Palestinian boy, called Marah Haddad, being rescued from underneath rubble by Civil Defence teams after being trapped for nearly ten hours in Al-Shawa Square in Gaza City.

A UN body has now published a report which says that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI), which does not speak for the world body, found that “genocide is occurring in Gaza and is continuing to occur”, Commission Chief Navi Pillay said today.

“The responsibility lies with the State of Israel,” he added.

The investigators said explicit statements by Israeli civilian and military authorities along with the pattern of Israeli forces’ conduct “indicated that the genocidal acts were committed with intent to destroy… Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as a group”.

The report concluded that Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and former defence minister Yoav Gallant have “incited the commission of genocide”.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has claimed that the report from the UN is “distorted and false”. 

The US State Department today also denounced the UN Commission’s finding that Israel has committed genocide. 

A spokesperson said that the 7 October attack by Hamas was a “genocidal event” and that Israel went to war “in self-defence and has consistently taken steps to minimise civilian casualties”. 

Over 67,700 people are reported to have died in Gaza as a result of the conflict.

Today the UN has labelled Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza City as “carnage” and UN chief Antonio Guterres said Israel was “determined to go up to the end”.

Israel was “not open to a serious negotiation for a ceasefire, with dramatic consequences from Israel’s point of view”, he said today. 

Advertisement

The IDF told journalists today that there were 2,000 to 3,000 Hamas militants left in Gaza City, and that around 40% of the civilian population have fled to the south, AFP has reported. 

A journalist working for the news agency said they saw many people, including children, sleeping in front of a hospital in Gaza City after fleeing their homes.

“The people do not have money to move to the south or even to move internally,” said Youssef Shanaa, who had taken refuge at the hospital.

The assault was “systematic ethnic cleansing targeting our people in Gaza”, Hamas said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump accused Hamas of using hostages as human shields.

“I hear Hamas is trying to use the old human shield deal, and if they do that they’re going to be in big trouble,” he said. 

Netanyahu this evening said that Trump has invited him to Washington again and that he will be heading there later this month. 

This evening Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned Europe against isolating Israel. 

“I want to be clear: Isolating, ostracizing and penalizing Israel is falling prey to the manipulations of agents of chaos,” he said at a German embassy event in Israel. 

Three hours ago the Israel Defence Forces posted a clip to social media of Commanding Officer Effie Defrin. 

Defrin said that the IDF had “expanded ground activity in Gaza” which marked a “new phase of the operation in Gaza”. 

“Gaza City is the central hub of Hamas’s military and governing power – their main stronghold. Hamas has turned Gaza City into the largest human shield in history,” Defrin further claimed. 

Al Jazeera today reported that it has verified footage that shows an Israeli warplane bombing and destroying the  al-Aybaki Mosque in the Tuffah neighbourhood east of Gaza City.

Reaction

Spain’s King Felipe VI today denounced the “unspeakable suffering” of hundreds of thousands of Gazans under Israeli bombardment in the Palestinian territory, in a rare political intervention.

“The latest episode in this conflict… has degenerated into an unbearable humanitarian crisis, the unspeakable suffering of hundreds of thousands of innocent people and the total devastation of Gaza,” the monarch said during a visit to Egypt.

Felipe, who rarely speaks out on international issues, noted his trip “is taking place at a turbulent and tragic time for the region”.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry today also condemned the ground assault of Gaza City. 

“We warn of the catastrophic risks of Israeli operations in the region, which is on the verge of a new phase of total chaos as a result of Israel’s recklessness,” the Ministry said.

Sumud Flotilla

Sixteen ships that make up the Global Sumud Flotilla are on the way to Gaza in an attempt to provide vital aid. 

The International President of Médecins Sans Frontières Dr Javid Abdelmoneim today said “Israel’s blockade and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid are features of its genocide in Gaza. The Global Sumud Flotilla on its way to Gaza now is an act of protest and a show of solidarity for Palestinians enduring annihilation. 

“At Médecins Sans Frontières we support this action in the name of solidarity and humanity and wish it success. Humanitarian aid and solidarity are not crimes,” he added.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More Support The Journal