Al-Mawasi, located on Gaza’s southern coast, has been marked a humanitarian zone, but despite this designation, it has faced repeated bombings.
Israel has intensified its assaults on Gaza City, following Cabinet plans to broaden its military operations and take control of the largest urban center in the Gaza Strip. On Thursday, the IDF announced it had seized control of 40 percent of Gaza City and intended to expand its operations in the coming days.
On Friday, Hamas released videos of two hostages, appealing for an end to Israel’s offensive on Gaza City. The Israeli government reports 48 hostages remain in Hamas custody, with 20 believed to be alive.
Thousands of Palestinians have perished in Israeli airstrikes and shootings that followed the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which claimed 1,200 lives and resulted in 251 people being held captive.
As of late August, the death toll in Gaza surpassed 63,500, including nearly 10,000 women and over 18,000 children, based on figures from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, sourced from the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.
These attacks have faced international reproach. Tamara Alrifai, a spokesperson for the United Nations relief agency for Palestinian refugees, stated to Al Jazeera that such strikes contribute to a relentless campaign aimed at demolishing entire neighborhoods, buildings, and wiping out families and individuals.
Europe’s crisis management commissioner, Hadja Lahbib, condemned Israel’s expanded military operations in August, declaring that a complete Israeli military takeover would result in mass casualties, service collapses, and jeopardize hostages.
This week, European Commission Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, marking the strongest condemnation from Brussels to date; however, the Commission later distanced itself from her statement.
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