The Israeli army has announced that it has started a new terrestrial offensive in the neighborhood of Shejaiyaeast of Gaza Citywith the declared goal of expand the safety area inside the strip. “In the last few hours, the troops have started to conduct land activities in the Shejaiya area in the north of Gaza,” the IDF communicated in a widespread Friday. The operation, according to Israeli military sources, would have led to the elimination of “numerous terrorists” and the destruction of “Hamas infrastructures, including a command and control center”.
The declaration underlines that the troops are “allowing the evacuation of civilians through paths organized for their security”, while the advance continues in Palestinian territory. The new operation comes after, in recent days, the Minister of Defense Israel Katz he had announced his intention to strengthen the military presence of the IDF inside Gaza, for “Destroying and reclaiming the area from terrorists” and integrate large portions of territory into future safety zones.
The Israeli premier Benyamin Netanyahu He said that the IDF is “dividing Gaza and confiscating territory” to exert pressure on Hamas and obtaining the liberation of the Israeli hostages still in the hands of the Palestinian armed group, captured during the attack of 7 October 2023.
At the same time, the conflict has also extended to Lebanonwhere a night raid hit the city of Sidonein the south of the country. According to Palestinian sources reported by the FP, a high exponent of Hamas, Hassan Farhatknown as Abu Yasserwas killed with his two adult children. The attack, which took place with a drone, hit an apartment in a residential neighborhood, causing the death of three people and large damage to buildings, shops and vehicles. Despite the cease-fire Formal between Israel and Lebanon, the attack sparked panic in the populous coastal city.
This is the second blitz in Sidone against an exponent of Hamas in less than two months: on February 17 a military commander of the movement had been killed in a similar attack. On April 1, however, a leader of Hezbollah had been eliminated by an Israeli raid in the southern suburbs of Beiruttraditional stronghold of the pro-Iranian group. Another attack in the same area had occurred on March 28, in open violation of the truce established on November 27th.
Meanwhile, the Gaza strip continues to pay a very high tribute in terms of human lives. According to what reported by To Jazeeraat least 112 Palestinians They have died in the last 24 hours in various Israeli air attacks. Among the victims there are majority Women and children. Only to Gaza City, 33 peopleof which 18 minorsthey were killed in three separate raids that hit school buildings transformed into chopped shelters.
A war that expands, that knows no respite and that continues to reap victims, while international diplomacy is nailed to impotence
