October 27, 2023, 2:27 p.m. 03
Updated 34 minutes ago
Israel’s military spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Friday (October 27) that the country would “expand” its operations against Gaza in the coming hours, including through the deployment of ground troops.
Meanwhile, BBC teams in Ashkelon, southern Israel, report that Israeli bombing of the area has increased. The city is 10 kilometers from Gaza.
According to the report, a “heavy bombardment, especially from the air,” can be heard this Friday.
Hamas, the Palestinian group that runs the Gaza Strip, said telecommunications in the area had been almost completely cut off.
The group, which carried out a surprise attack in Israel on October 7, also claimed to have fired rockets again into Israeli territory.
Paltel the Palestinian telecommunications company released a statement on social media confirming the “total suspension of all communications and internet services with the Gaza Strip.”
In his statement, the Israeli army spokesman said that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) should expand its activities on land this evening.
“In the last few hours, attacks in Gaza have increased. The Air Force attacks underground targets and terrorist infrastructure on a large scale, and in a very significant way.”
“In continuation of the offensive activities we have carried out in recent days, the ground forces are expanding their ground activities this evening,” he said.
Hagari also again called on the people of Gaza City to leave the region towards the south of the territory.
Daniel Hagari called on Gaza City residents to seek “safer conditions” as the IDF will “continue” its attacks on the city and its surroundings.
He particularly referred to AlShifa Hospital, which he said was being used for “terrorist activities.”
Hagari previously claimed in a separate statement that Hamas was using the hospital as a shield for underground tunnels and command centers. Hamas rejected this accusation.
Al Shifa is the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip.
Thousands of displaced people are staying in hospitals in the Gaza Strip, including in Al Shifa.
Photo credit: EPAEFE/REX/Shutterstock
caption,
Destruction in Gaza City on Friday morning, March 27th
According to Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s senior international editor, this could be the start of the larger air, land and sea offensive announced by Israel.
However, the journalist currently living in Israel reminds that at the same time as the information about the escalation of the attacks, we also receive information about the progress of the negotiations between Israel and Hamas led by Qatar.
“Previously there were discussions in Doha, the capital of Qatar, that maybe they were getting closer to an agreement on the release of hostages and maybe some kind of ceasefire or a humanitarian ceasefire,” he says.
According to Bowen, Israel has in the past increased its attacks on enemy areas before a ceasefire was reached. However, it is not yet possible to say whether the current negotiations were actually successful.
No contact
There are several reports of difficulties in communicating with the people of Gaza.
Following Israel’s announcement that it would step up attacks, the Palestinian Red Crescent humanitarian organization said it had “completely lost touch” with its operation in the Gaza Strip.
“We are deeply concerned about the ability of our teams to continue to provide their emergency medical services, particularly as this conflict affects the central emergency number 101, making it difficult for vehicles and ambulances to reach the injured,” the facility said in a statement. an announcement
The organization says it is also concerned for the safety of its teams working in the Gaza Strip and calls on the world to “put pressure on the Israeli authorities to provide immediate protection to innocent civilians, medical facilities and our teams.”
Another humanitarian organization, ActionAid, also said it had lost contact with its staff in Gaza.
“The power outage is isolating the population, making it nearly impossible for them to seek help, tell their stories or stay in touch with their loved ones.”
“This isolation is exacerbating the suffering of those already facing a serious humanitarian crisis as airstrikes against civilians increase,” the NGO said in a statement.
caption,
Explosion seen from the Israeli side
BBC Arabic reporter Mehdi Musawi in London also claims to have had difficulty contacting her sources in Gaza throughout the day.
“In the early evening, all lines of communication were interrupted. And then live footage from Gaza showed complete darkness, except for flashes and fireballs in the distance,” Musawi says
“I sent a barrage of messages to the people I spoke to previously, but there was no response, not even a double check to confirm receipt.”
The conflict
The Palestinian group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people and taking hostages.
According to the Health Ministry in the Hamascontrolled Gaza Strip, Israel responded with bombings that killed around 7,000 people.
On October 14, Israeli forces announced that they would soon launch an even larger air, land and sea offensive against the area.
Israel also issued an ultimatum to residents of northern Gaza about 1.1 million people to move to the south of the territory.
This deadline, which has been extended several times, expired on October 15th.
The northern Gaza Strip which includes Gaza City and two refugee camps is one of the most densely populated parts of the territory.
At the time, Hamas urged civilians to ignore the evacuation order, calling it “false propaganda.”
However, thousands of Palestinians obeyed Israel’s orders and left their homes.
However, Israel has bombed and continues to bomb several locations in the south of the territory.
According to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, the situation in southern Gaza is so bad that some civilians are returning to the north.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the military operation in Gaza “will last one, two or three months, but in the end there will be no more Hamas.”