Mass displacement in Zeitoun amid famine warnings;
nationwide Israeli protests demand hostage deal and war’s end.
Gaza City / Jerusalem. Thousands
of Palestinians are fleeing relentless bombardment in Gaza City’s Zeitoun
neighborhood, while in Israel a nationwide strike has brought roads and
railways to a halt in protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan
to occupy the city.
At least 40 Palestinians were killed across Gaza on
Saturday, Gaza’s civil defense agency said, as Israeli air and ground forces
continued a sustained offensive.
The Hamas-run Gaza municipality described
conditions in southern Zeitoun as “catastrophic” after six consecutive days of
air strikes, tank fire, and demolitions.
Residents say they have little access to food or
water. “We don’t know the taste of sleep,” said Ghassan Kashko, 40, who is
sheltering in a school building with his family.
According to the UN, more than 1.9 million
Palestinians — about 90% of Gaza’s population — have already been displaced.
Israel’s military body COGAT confirmed that it will
allow aid agencies to bring tents and shelter equipment into Gaza again, as
part of preparations to relocate a million residents to southern camps.
“The supply of tents and shelter equipment to Gaza
will resume,” COGAT said, framing the move as part of civilian protection
efforts.
Critics, including the UN Security Council, have
condemned Israel’s plan to seize Gaza City and forcibly displace its
population.
The municipality of Gaza City said more than 80% of
its infrastructure has been damaged, with hospitals operating at less than 20%
capacity due to shortages of medicine and supplies.
Malnutrition continues to worsen. Gaza’s health
ministry reported 11 new deaths on Saturday, including one child, bringing the
total number of starvation-related deaths to 251. More than 100 of those have
been children.
In one highly publicized case, 20-year-old Marah
Abu Zuhri, evacuated to Italy for treatment, died in a Pisa hospital two days
after arrival. Doctors said she had suffered severe muscle and weight loss from
malnutrition.
International warnings have grown louder. The UK,
EU, Australia, Canada, and Japan issued a joint statement last week saying
famine was “unfolding in front of our eyes.”
Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations say they have
been unable to deliver aid since March. “Not a single truck has entered Gaza in
five months,” a coalition of NGOs wrote in an open letter.
Israel denies famine exists in Gaza, accusing UN
agencies of failing to collect aid at crossing points.
The violence also continues at food distribution
sites. Gaza’s civil defense said 13 Palestinians were shot dead Saturday while
waiting for aid. The UN reports at least 1,760 Palestinians have been killed
seeking food since late May.
In Israel, anger is also growing. Thousands of
protesters joined a nationwide strike Saturday, blocking highways and halting
train service in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
The strike was spearheaded by hostage families and
civil groups opposing Netanyahu’s plan to occupy Gaza City.
“I think it’s time to end the war. It’s time to
release all the hostages. And it’s time to help Israel recover and move towards
a more stable Middle East,” said Doron Wilfand, a 54-year-old tour guide
demonstrating in Jerusalem.
Shops, businesses, and some government services
shuttered across Israel during the strike, reflecting the broad scope of
discontent.
The war, triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023
attack that killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages, has now entered its
23rd month. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry — figures considered credible by
the UN — says more than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed.
Israel has not provided a timetable for its
occupation of Gaza City, but military preparations along the border continue.