Israel attacking Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City with ‘massive’ number of air raids
The number of Israeli air raids on Zeitoun is massive; there is also artillery fire and explosive-laden robots that are destroying buildings and residential houses in that area. The bombardment has been taking place for the past couple of days without stopping.
Many Palestinians, especially those who have children and babies, have decided to leave due to the intensification of the air attacks.
Those who have fled did so under attack from quadcopters and live fire, and they went to the western parts of Gaza City. But the cost of moving from one place to another in Gaza is very expensive, and the risk is very, very high.
Still, some people are refusing to leave.
There are no rescue teams that can reach that area. There’s no medical staff or paramedics available to go to these areas. Palestinians are trying to rescue their neighbours, their relatives, whoever is left in that area underneath the rubble, by themselves.
A Palestinian man walks over debris and rubble carrying wood salvaged to be used as firewood in Gaza City
‘How am I supposed to reach the south?’: People in Gaza City reject Israeli demands to flee
Israel is making it increasingly difficult for Palestinians to live in Gaza City as its military prepares a plan to seize the Strip’s largest city, home to nearly one million people, and forcibly displace its inhabitants to the south of Gaza.
The city was the main target of air attacks on Sunday that killed nearly 60 people, and Israel is also targeting the few remaining healthcare centres there.
But while many Palestinians who remain in the devastated city are forced to survive in the ruins of buildings, makeshift shelters, or tents, some people have told Al Jazeera that it would be impossible for them to leave.
“How am I supposed to even get there? How can I go? I need nearly 900 dollars to move – I don’t even have a dollar. How am I supposed to reach the south?” displaced Palestinian man Bilal Abu Sitta said.
“I’d have to walk there with my children, my wife, my elderly father and mother to get to Rafah or Khan Younis. And even then, there’s no space there.”
Others do not trust Israeli promises of aid and shelter. “We don’t want Israel to give us anything,” Noaman Hamad said. “We want them to [allow] us back to the homes we fled – we don’t need more than that.”
