GAZA CITY (Realist English). Israeli troops and tanks pressed further into Gaza City on Wednesday, the second day of a new ground offensive that has drawn international criticism, as thousands of Palestinians fled the devastated enclave.
The Israeli military said its air force and artillery struck the city more than 150 times in recent days before ground units advanced. Strikes have toppled residential towers in areas packed with displaced families living in tents. Overnight bombardments killed at least 16 people, including women and children, according to hospital officials. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that nearly 65,000 Palestinians have died since the war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack on Israel.
Israel has pledged to open a temporary evacuation corridor along Gaza’s coastline, though large parts of the north remain cut off after strikes severed internet and phone lines. The UN estimates that more than 238,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City in the past month, but hundreds of thousands remain.
Humanitarian organizations warned of catastrophic conditions. In a joint statement, over 20 NGOs, including the Norwegian Refugee Council and Save the Children, accused Israel of genocide and urged governments to take decisive political and legal action. Qatar’s foreign ministry also condemned the offensive, calling it an “extension of the war of genocide.”
Israel insists Hamas continues to use civilian areas for military operations, with officials estimating that 2,000 to 3,000 militants remain in Gaza City, operating through tunnels and launching guerrilla-style attacks. The military says its aim this time is to retake the entire city.
The war has killed about 64,900 Palestinians, roughly half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s health authorities. The conflict erupted after Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people in Israel and abducted 251 others. Fewer than half of the remaining hostages are believed to be alive.