Israel pushes deeper into Gaza City, tanks roll in, airstrikes kill 19

Israel has intensified its military operation in Gaza City, pushing tanks deeper into the densely populated urban center and detonating explosives-laden vehicles in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, Palestinian officials and witnesses said.

At least 19 people, including women and children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes, local health authorities announced, Reuters reports.

The escalation coincides with a statement from the International Association of Genocide Scholars, which said it had passed a resolution asserting that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, claiming the legal criteria for such a designation have been met. Israel has not responded to the genocide accusation or to the latest accounts of the offensive, though it has previously denied that its actions amount to genocide.

Israel is executing a strategy to gain full control of the Gaza Strip, beginning with Gaza City, with the stated objective of destroying Hamas and rescuing the remaining 48 hostages. The nearly two-year-long war began following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. Twenty of the remaining hostages are believed to still be alive.

Residents described harrowing scenes in Sheikh Radwan. “People are confused, stay and die, or leave towards nowhere,” said Mohammad Abu Abdallah, 55. “It was a night of horror, explosions never stopped, and the drones never stopped hovering over the area. Many people quit their homes fearing for their lives, while others have no idea where to go,” he told Reuters via chat app.

Israel’s military said it struck “several military structures and outposts used to attack troops” across Gaza. Leaflets were dropped over Gaza City urging residents to flee south, warning of an expanding offensive.

The Gaza health ministry reported that 98 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours and nine others — including three children — died from malnutrition and starvation, bringing such deaths to at least 348, among them 127 children. Israel disputes these figures, blaming other medical causes.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security cabinet to plan the renewed Gaza City offensive. Meanwhile, ceasefire talks remain stalled following a deadlock in July.

By Vafa Guliyeva