Gaza City ground invasion: ‘We’re not leaving’
As Israeli forces prevent besieged residents from returning to Gaza City, some Palestinians say the move only increases their determination to stay.
“We are not leaving. Yesterday a drone dropped grenades on the rooftop of our building, but we are not leaving,” said Hani, 24, who asked to be identified only by his first name over safety concerns.
“We are afraid if we leave we will never see our Gaza City again.”
The United Nations estimates between 600,000-700,000 people are still inside Gaza City, after about 400,000 fled in the past few weeks as Israeli forces have advanced, destroying buildings in their path.
Watchdog calls for immediate release of 32 detained media workers
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has criticised Israel for seizing news workers travelling with the Global Sumud Flotilla as it tried to reach Gaza and break Israel’s devastating blockade.
The media watchdog said it identified 32 journalists on board the vessels, but it remains unclear who has been detained by Israeli forces at sea.
Al Jazeera’s Hassan Massoud was on board one of the flotilla’s 44 boats on the Mediterranean Sea.
“Detaining members of the press while reporting on a humanitarian mission is a clear violation of international maritime law and a dangerous escalation in Israel’s pattern of attacks against journalists,” said Sara Qudah, CPJ’s regional director.
“World leaders must act now to defend press freedom, protect journalists and demand accountability.”
‘Collapsing lifelines’ as Israeli attacks force NGOs out of Gaza
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has issued a list of the latest calamities facing the besieged people of Gaza. It includes:
- Only 26 percent of required daily food supplies are entering Gaza, with 77 percent lost to looting before reaching warehouses.
- No food aid has reached northern Gaza since the Zikim Crossing was completely closed by Israeli forces on September 12 – despite human-made famine being confirmed weeks earlier.
- Only 30 percent of health facilities (215 of 713) remain partially functional across the entire Gaza Strip.
- About 127,000 newly displaced Palestinians arrived in central Deir el-Balah and southern Khan Younis since Israel’s army escalated its attack on northern Gaza in mid-September.
- Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza City has forced the closure of four hospitals, 16 primary healthcare centres and 20 medical points.
- People in Gaza City face deteriorating access to means of survival during the intensified bombardment, “collapsing lifelines”, and a growing number of aid organisations forced to suspend operations.
