People being ‘sandwiched’ in Gaza City amid Israeli assault
The situation in Gaza City is still very difficult. People are fleeing under heavy artillery and air strikes.
The fact that the Israeli military is advancing from both directions – from the northwestern part and the southeastern part – is sandwiching people in the middle and pushing them towards the western part of the city.
On top of people killed in the city, many are still trapped under the rubble of the destroyed buildings.
Displacement is something that is breaking people in Gaza. For many people, this is not the first or second time they’ve been displaced. It’s a painful journey of packing and leaving, knowing there is no safe place.
Israeli tanks and troops prepare to enter Gaza City’s centre
Israeli tanks are stationed in two Gaza City areas that lead to the city’s centre, residents say, as fear and panic reverberate among hundreds of thousands of trapped civilians.
Israeli army spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said troops have been operating on the city’s periphery for several weeks but since Monday night large numbers of soldiers began moving towards the inner city.
A combination of infantry, tanks and artillery are advancing, backed by the air force, and the assault to seize Gaza’s main urban centre is a gradual process that will intensify as time goes on, Shoshani said.
“The strategy right now is to defeat Hamas and apply pressure on Hamas, which can lead to a deal or can lead to rescue missions [to free captives],” he said.
