“But when will this nightmare end?”: The prospect of an extension of the Israeli army operations in the Gaza Strip arouses the despair of the Palestinians in the territory, at the end after 22 months of siege and war.
“We already live every day with anxiety and fear of the unknown. Discussions on the expansion of land operations by Israel sign more destruction and death, “said Ahmad Salem, 45, resident of a refugee camp in the north of Gaza, and today moved to the west of the territory.
“There is no safe place in Gaza. If Israel is again extending its land operations, we will be the first victims (…). All we want is to live in peace. We cannot bear it more, ”he said, questioned by AFP.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brings together his security firm at the end of the afternoon to decide on the war in the Gaza Strip, where the extension of army operations seems to be acquired according to the Israeli media, which evoke a possible total conquest of the territory.
“We read and hear everything in the news (…) and none of this is in our favor,” overwhelmed Sanaa Abdullah, 40, resident of Gaza-Ville (North).
“Israel does not want to stop. The bombings continue, the number of martyrs and wounded soar, famine and malnutrition get worse, and people die of hunger. What could he happen to worse? ”, She castigates.
“Figures or animals”
After almost 22 months of a devastating war launched by a bloody Hamas attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, the Gaza Strip is threatened with a “widespread famine” according to the UN and is completely dependent on humanitarian aid. Some 2.4 million Palestinians live there daily under the bombs.
The Israeli army occupies or operates on the ground in almost 75% of the territory, mainly since its permanent positions along the border. She bombes wherever she deems it necessary. According to the UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordination Office (OCHA), 87.3% of the territory is militarized by Israel and subject to evacuation orders.
Unaccompanied areas are also the most densely populated: the cities of Khan Younès and Gaza, and the Deir Al Balah refugee camps.
“Now they talk about plans to extend their operations as if we were not even human, just animals or figures,” says Sanaa.
“A new terrestrial invasion means new trips, new fears, and we will not even find a place to hide. The situation is already unbearable, no water, not enough food. What will happen if they start another land operation? God alone is with us … “
“We have lived a lot of wars before, but none like this. This war is long and exhausting. From one trip to another, we are exhausted, “said Amal Hamada, 20 years old, from northern Gaza, now moved to Deir al-Balah (center).
“At my age, I should be at university, continue my studies, not live in a tent, lose everything I love, undergo famine and forced trips.”
“We can’t even move. If a new terrestrial operation begins, it will be an even greater humanitarian disaster. We no longer have the strength to run, flee, or even shout. The world must act before we are erased. When will this nightmare end? ”.
The attack of October 7, 2023 led to the Israeli side the death of 1219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count made from official data. Israeli reprisals have killed at least 61,258 people in Gaza, mainly civilians, according to data from the Ministry of Health of Hamas, deemed reliable by the UN.
On Tuesday, during a session of the UN Security Council, a senior UN official warned of “the catastrophic consequences” of an extension of Israeli military operations in Gaza.
