Israel: the plan for taking the city of Gaza approved by the army

The Israeli army announced on Wednesday that it has “approved” the plan for the capture of the city of Gaza, the largest in the Palestinian territory. This project is within the framework of a new phase of its offensive intended to defeat Hamas and ensure the release of hostages.

Witnesses reported very intense air strikes on the city on Wednesday as well as the presence of Israeli tanks and strong explosions in the districts of Tal al-Hawa and Zeitoun, where the army demolished houses.

After 22 months of war, Israel intends to take control of this city in the north of the territory and neighboring refugee camps, in order to dismantle what it presents as the last bastions of Hamas.

The Palestinian Islamist movement denounced on Wednesday “aggressive incursions in the city of Gaza” and a “dangerous escalation from Israel”.

The chief of staff, the lieutenant-general Eyal Zamir, “approved the main framework of the operational plan of the army in the Gaza Strip,” the army announced on Wednesday without any calendar having been given.

In the streets of Gaza-Ville, Palestinian families fled again, luggage and mattresses piled up on bikes or carts.

“For several days, tanks have been progressing (…) in the southeast part of the Zeitoun district, destroying houses. Tank also advances in the southern part of Tal al-Hawa, “AFP Ahmed Abbas told AFP, a 46-year-old man whose house was destroyed in Tal al-Hawa. “The strikes are extremely intense. They have intensified and there have also been artillery fire since Sunday, “he added.

“The explosions are massive, there are many air strikes (…) The tanks are still there and I saw dozens of civilians fleeing” to the west of the city, also testified Fatoum, a 51-year-old woman who lives with her husband and daughter in a tent in Tal al-Hawa.

According to the civil defense and medical sources, 18 Palestinians, including several children, were killed Wednesday by Israeli bombings and fire, including eleven waiting for humanitarian aid.

Israeli preparations coincide with the announcement by Hamas that a movement delegation arrived in Cairo for “preliminary interviews” with Egyptian officials on a new truce.

Egypt announced Tuesday working with Qatar and the United States for a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the Israeli plan “did not aim to occupy Gaza, but to demilitarize it”.

He had listed Israel’s objectives: “First, disarm Hamas. Second, all hostages are released. Third, Gaza is demilitarized. Fourth, Israel exercises preponderant security control. And fifth, a non -Israeli peaceful civil administration ”.

The Prime Minister faces very strong pressure from his public opinion which moved from the fate of the 49 hostages still retained in Gaza, 27 of which died according to the army. Abroad, calls are multiplying to end the suffering of the more than two million inhabitants of the besieged territory, threatened with a “widespread famine” according to the UN.