Israeli Army Launches Ground Assault in Gaza, Targets UNRWA Headquarters
The Israeli army has said they are launching a ground invasion in Gaza. Throughout the night, they attacked several areas, including the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East UNRWA Headquarters. The Israeli military said on Monday that this operation was based on the intelligence received that the building contained weapons belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad and an investigation and detention room.
Details of the Operation
The Israeli army argues that its activities stem from the fact that ‘there exists Hamas and Islamic Jihad network and operatives in Gaza’ While declaring that the premises of UNRWA contained weaponry and facilities used by these two groups.
The army stated that it had in the past launched an attack in the area with the aim of ‘eliminating Hamas operatives and neutralising an underground tunnel system under the compound. ‘ According to reports, during this assault, the army used megaphones to instruct people to abandon the buildings and flee to safety, promising them safety.
It also said that the civilians were informed beforehand about the military operation in the region and that a corridor was provided to remove the non-combative people from the theatre of the war.
UNRWA has not come out to condemn the recent action by the Israeli military on raiding its headquarters until now.
Six Palestinians were reported killed on Saturday by Israeli closing by saying that it attacked fighters with Hamas inside the Jaouni school at Nuseirat, stating that this group uses the school. This attack is said to have caused the death of sixteen Palestinians and injured a total of fifty others.
Earlier on Wednesday, thousands of Palestinians left large parts of the southwest of Gaza City for fear of Israeli forces’ unexpected incursion – the first time in over three months. This attack, whereby several roads, homes and residential buildings were shelled, involved massive risk with many casualties.
Depiction of occupancy: An Anadolu correspondent said that Israeli military vehicles moved into several districts; Tal al Hawa, industrial zones, university areas and the southern neighbourhoods of Rimal were all under attack by jets and artillery fire. Eyewitnesses said that heavy bombardments by Israeli aeroplanes and trenches in the southern part of the city of Gaza, as well as shooting bursts from helicopter gunships.
Other witnesses also described that all Health centres and facilities in Gaza had been put out of commission by Israeli forces who have attacked and bombed some hospitals in northern Gaza. Also, Israeli gunboats are said to have used heavy machine guns to pound the fishermen’s port in western Gaza City.
Main accusations against Israel include genocide in the situation that the ICJ has recently demanded from Israel to stop its military actions in the southern town of Rafah. Before the invasion of Rafah on May six, over a million Palestinians had fled into the city seeking shelter.
Thus, people of the world are now focusing on the reaction of UNRWA and other organisations to the further development of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
