‘Panic, fear’ spreading across Gaza as Israeli forces step up attacks despite ceasefire
This is another reminder of how fragile this ceasefire is, and the fact that it happened with no prior warning whatsoever.
All of a sudden sounds of explosions, the presence of the drones in the skies, fighter jets that patrol the central and the eastern part of the Gaza Strip, were all indication that this was a military campaign.
The scope, the scale and duration of this military campaign is very limited to us. We don’t know much about what’s going to happen, and it’s not clear whether it’s the beginning of a wider military operation across the Strip.
The sites that were targeted … have been recently filled with displaced families.
These attacks all happened outside the area that the Israeli military is controlling and deeper into the Gaza Strip. The impact is immediate, it’s very severe, causing panic and spreading fear everywhere across the Strip.
There is sort of mayhem going on right now because of many of the people who just moved back to the northern part of Gaza City. They were hoping that they were going back to a quieter area, particularly in light of the resolution that was passed at the UN Security Council and the many talks that pushed for a more stable and more solid ceasefire.
Israel is ‘judge, jury and executioner’ of Gaza ceasefire
The Israeli army says that it has been responding to being fired on in Khan Younis by Hamas fighters. In response, it has waged several air strikes against targets across the Gaza Strip.
Some unnamed security sources also say they targeted and assassinated two Hamas commanders. We will have to wait and see if there is confirmation from Hamas on that.
But really, this pattern of behaviour follows how Israel has been carrying out and “enforcing” the ceasefire not just in Gaza, but also in Lebanon. It believes it can be judge, jury and executioner as far as the ceasefire is concerned.
Israel judges how Hamas in Gaza or Hezbollah in Lebanon are adhering to the terms of the ceasefire, and if not, it believes it has the right to carry out air strikes, to assassinate commanders and that this wouldn’t be violating its obligations under the ceasefire.
That is the doctrine right now in the Israeli security establishment.
Death toll in today’s Israeli attacks on Gaza rises to 28; casualties mostly women and children
Sources at Gaza hospitals tell Al Jazeera that at least 28 people have been killed in today’s surge of attacks on the enclave. Among those killed are 17 women and children. More than 77 others were wounded in a series of air raids and shelling that struck multiple areas in Gaza City and Khan Younis, the ministry said.
