Key Points
- Palestinians flee Gaza City’s Shejaiya area amid heavy bombardment and reported ground incursion
- Palestinian armed groups said they had targeted a tank and a bulldozer east of Shejaiya
- The Israeli military has not commented on the reports, but it did order residents to evacuate and head southwards
- More than 37,760 people have been killed in Gaza since the October 7 attack
Palestinians flee Gaza City’s Shejaiya area amid heavy bombardment
Amid heavy Israeli bombardment and a reported ground incursion, Palestinians are fleeing Gaza City’s eastern Shejaiya district. Residents described the situation as dire, with intense air strikes, artillery shelling, and helicopter fire. Hamas-run authorities reported at least seven deaths due to the air strikes.
Palestinian armed groups claimed to have targeted Israeli tanks and bulldozers in Shejaiya, which had seen fierce battles during an Israeli operation last year. Although the Israeli military ordered residents to evacuate and head south, it has not commented on the recent activities.
The Israeli military has conducted similar operations in northern Gaza, targeting areas where they believe Hamas fighters have regrouped. They instructed Shejaiya residents to evacuate immediately, directing them south towards humanitarian zones. Israel claims it’s part of their efforts to dismantle Hamas strongholds. The UN says more than 1 million people have now been displaced.
The closure of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt has further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis by limiting aid and medical evacuations.
Video of airstrikes in Gaza today
A video posted on social media by activist Hema al-Khalili showed people running for cover after what he said was an air strike on a multi-storey building.