Planes, tanks, and artillery have pounded Gaza City as Israel prepares a full-scale offensive to seize the territory’s largest urban area, heightening fears for nearly one million Palestinians still trapped inside. Residents reported continuous explosions across northern and eastern districts, including Zeitoun and Shejayia. Overnight, tank fire also struck the Sabra neighborhood, while Israeli troops returned to demolish buildings in the crowded Jabalia refugee camp.
According to the territory’s health ministry, 64 people were killed and nearly 300 others wounded in the past 24 hours alone. It said the overall death toll since Israel’s military campaign began last October has risen to 62,686, with more than 157,000 injured. The war erupted after Hamas fighters launched a deadly assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since vowed to defeat Hamas militarily, despite mounting global criticism over the scale of civilian suffering.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed they had re-entered Jabalia in recent days. Officials said the military is calling up 60,000 reservists to reinforce its push into Gaza and indicated that residents of Gaza City will be ordered to evacuate south before ground forces move in. However, most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have already been displaced multiple times, often with nowhere safe to go.
The UN and aid groups have warned that an assault on Gaza City could cause “horrific humanitarian consequences.” More than 90% of homes across the enclave are already damaged or destroyed, and basic infrastructure has collapsed. Eighteen of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain partially functional, most in Gaza City and its surrounding districts. On Friday, famine conditions were confirmed in Gaza City for the first time, with healthcare, water, sanitation, and food systems on the verge of total failure.
The looming offensive comes amid stalled negotiations over a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Of the 50 people still believed to be held in Gaza, only 20 are thought to be alive. Mediators from Qatar and Egypt have presented a new proposal for a 60-day truce and the release of roughly half of the hostages. Hamas has signaled acceptance, but Israeli officials insist on a comprehensive deal that secures the release of all captives. Israel’s defense minister has warned that Gaza City will be “razed” if Hamas does not disarm and release every hostage. Netanyahu, under pressure from families of those still in captivity, has rejected partial agreements, insisting the war will continue until Hamas is dismantled.
Amid the escalating violence, the World Health Organization announced on Sunday that one of its staff members, detained by Israeli forces since July 21, had been released. The organization provided no further details about the individual’s identity or the reasons for the detention. As preparations for a ground invasion continue, humanitarian officials stress that conditions in Gaza City are already catastrophic. With widespread hunger, collapsed medical care, and relentless bombardment, the UN warns the next stage of fighting risks turning an already dire crisis into an unmanageable disaster.
