A catastrophic situation in Gaza City’s southern Zeitoun neighbourhood has led thousands of residents to flee due to continuous Israeli bombardment. At least 40 people were killed by Israeli attacks across the territory on Saturday, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency.
The Israeli military plans to forcibly displace a million people from Gaza City to camps in the south. In response, Israelis are protesting against the occupation plan with a nationwide strike. The stoppage was demanded by families of hostages and others who say the expansion of the war puts the lives of Israelis being held by Hamas at greater risk.
The city’s 50,000 residents, mostly without access to food and water, face mass displacement after six days of relentless Israeli air strikes, shelling, and demolition operations. A spokesperson for the Gaza City municipality said that 80% of infrastructure has been damaged over nearly two years of Israeli attacks, while four remaining hospitals operate at less than 20% capacity due to severe shortages of medicines and supplies.
The international community has condemned Israel’s plan to occupy Gaza City, with the UN Security Council expressing concern. The situation in Gaza has led to widespread malnutrition, with experts warning that the “worst-case scenario” of famine is playing out in the territory. At least 1.9 million people have been displaced, and over 250 deaths from malnutrition have been reported.
In Israel, thousands have protested against the occupation plan, demanding a deal to secure the release of hostages in Gaza. The situation remains dire, with at least 61,000 Palestinians killed during Israel’s offensive.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2018wx3zlgo