Israeli tanks surround Gaza City ahead of ground operation
What's the story
Israeli tanks have surrounded Gaza City, preparing for a ground operation in the enclave's largest urban area. This comes as tens of thousands of Palestinians continue to evacuate the city, which is home to around one million people. The United Nations has warned that this assault will exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where parts are officially under famine conditions.
Operation update
Over 65,000 Palestinians killed since war began
While the Israeli military has announced that its ground operation has started, eyewitnesses and satellite images confirm that tanks have not yet entered Gaza City. In the past 24 hours alone, at least 98 people have been killed across Gaza, bringing the total death toll to over 65,000 since the war began. The Palestinian health ministry reports that around 70% of these casualties are women and children.
Evacuation efforts
New evacuation route announced by IDF
Ahead of the operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Wednesday announced a new evacuation route for civilians to leave Gaza City. It stated movement would be allowed on Salah al-Din Street. In what appears to be an attempt to expedite the forced departure from Gaza City, the IDF announced that the passage will be available for 48 hours only, until Friday local time.
Global response
International community condemns Israel's actions
The international community has condemned Israel's actions in Gaza City. China and Qatar have opposed the offensive, while Saudi Arabia and Canada have also condemned it. The European Commission has proposed trade sanctions against Israel, which could partially suspend its free trade agreement with the country if approved by EU member states. However, some members are wary of such measures due to their economic impact on Europe.
Official statement
EU sanctions 'morally and politically distorted': Saar
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has slammed the proposed EU sanctions, calling them "morally and politically distorted." He argued that such actions against Israel would hurt Europe's own interests. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempted to prepare the country for increasing economic isolation in a speech on Monday, saying it would have to "adapt to an economy with autarkic features," implying it would have to be more self-sufficient with fewer trading alternatives.