Gaza Under Siege: Israel Intensifies Assault as Netanyahu Prepares Security Meeting

Israeli forces have launched a relentless assault on the suburbs of Gaza City from the air and ground, destroying homes and forcing families to flee. Consequently, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet will convene on Sunday to discuss a plan to seize the city.

Local health authorities reported that Israeli gunfire and airstrikes killed at least 18 people, including 13 individuals who were attempting to get food near a central Gaza Strip aid site. At least two others died in a house in Gaza City, with the Israeli military spokesperson’s office stating that they are actively reviewing the reports of these deaths.

Residents of Sheikh Radwan, one of Gaza City’s largest neighborhoods, reported continuous Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes persisted throughout Saturday and into Sunday morning. Therefore, families had to seek shelter in the western parts of the city.

Over the last three weeks, the Israeli military has gradually escalated its operations around Gaza City. Furthermore, on Friday, it ended the temporary pauses that had previously allowed for aid deliveries. The military designated the area a “dangerous combat zone” and advised people to evacuate.

Humanitarian Situation Worsens

“They are crawling into the city’s heart where hundreds of thousands are sheltering from the east, north, and south,” said Rezik Salah, a father of two from Sheikh Radwan. “They are simultaneously bombing those areas from the air and ground to scare people to leave.” An Israeli official confirmed that Netanyahu’s security cabinet would meet to discuss the next stages of the planned offensive, describing the city as Hamas’ last bastion. However, experts do not expect a full-scale offensive to commence for weeks, with Israeli officials saying they want to evacuate the civilian population before moving more ground forces in.

On Saturday, Red Cross head Mirjana Spoljaric warned that a full evacuation would cause a massive population displacement, explaining that no other area in the Gaza Strip is equipped to absorb so many people. The enclave currently suffers from severe shortages of food, shelter, and medical supplies. A mother of five, Ghada, from the city’s Sabra neighborhood, said, “People who have relatives in the south left to stay with them. Others, including myself, couldn’t find a space because Deir Al-Balah and Mawasi are already overcrowded.” Around half of the enclave’s more than two million people are currently in Gaza City.

Protests Mount in Israel

Israel’s military has warned its political leaders that the offensive is endangering hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. As a result, protests in Israel calling for an end to the war and the release of the hostages have intensified, as large crowds demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, and families of the hostages protested outside ministers’ homes on Sunday morning.

According to Gaza health officials, the Israeli military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 63,000 people, mostly civilians, since the war began in October 2023. The conflict has plunged the enclave into a humanitarian crisis, leaving much of it in ruins.