Israeli army intensifies operation in Gaza governorate
For the third consecutive day, the Gaza Governorate in the northern Gaza Strip has been plunged into days of horror as Israeli occupation forces escalate their campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing in the region.
Since Thursday, January 2, Israeli occupation forces have expanded the deadly attack that initially began in the North Gaza Governorate in early October 2024, with the aim of wiping out entire communities and displacing thousands of Palestinians from the region.
The situation has grown increasingly dire as Israeli warplanes intensify their airstrikes, targeting entire residential blocks. These aerial bombardments have led to the destruction of buildings and the killing and injuries of many residents, while numerous individuals remain trapped under rubble, awaiting rescue.
According to medical sources, at least 184 people, including children and women, have been killed in the past 72 hours. Dozens more have been injured in a barrage of 94 airstrikes and artillery shellings carried out by Israeli forces in the last three days. On January 4 alone, more than 45 civilians were reported killed in the latest wave of attacks targeting Gaza City and surrounding areas.
The expansion of the offensive has now brought the onslaught to Gaza Governorate, home to approximately 550,000 people–nearly a quarter of the total population of the Gaza Strip. This includes around 180,000 people who were forcibly displaced from North Gaza due to three months of relentless Israeli attacks.
As the war intensifies, many Gaza residents are fearful of being forcibly relocated to the area known as Al-Mawasi – a region located in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, extending from the western outskirts of Rafah to the west of Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis.
Israeli forces have been demanding people to move there, despite the fact that the area already suffers from a severe lack of basic resources such as food, water, and medical supplies. This has compounded the already dire humanitarian conditions.
The journey to Al-Mawasi is a dangerous one, with limited access via sea routes and the main Salah al-Din road, both of which are heavily impacted by the ongoing air and ground assault. Once there, displaced families are forced to confront even harsher living conditions as they struggle to find food and medical care amidst a collapsing infrastructure.
With each passing day, the death toll rises, and the suffering of Gaza’s residents deepens. Human rights organizations and international observers have warned of a looming humanitarian catastrophe, with no end in sight to the Israeli occupation’s relentless campaign against Gaza’s civilian population.
