Israel’s military authorities have announced the opening of a temporary evacuation corridor to allow civilians to flee Gaza City, following intensified ground and air operations aimed at eliminating the Palestinian movement Hamas.
The army revealed that the new route would run through Salah al-Din Street, a central artery that stretches from the northern to the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to Colonel Avichay Adraee, the army’s Arabic-language spokesman, the route would be operational for only 48 hours, beginning at midday on Thursday (0900 GMT).
Until this announcement, civilians had primarily been urged to use the coastal road to reach designated “humanitarian zones” in areas such as Al-Mawasi in the south.
This measure came a day after a sweeping Israeli ground operation that pushed forces deeper into Gaza City, accompanied by an extensive pre-dawn bombing campaign. okay.ng reports that the United Nations (UN) Independent International Commission of Inquiry has accused Israel of committing genocide, citing incitement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials.
Eyewitness accounts painted grim scenes across Gaza City, already devastated by nearly two years of conflict. One resident, Abu Abd Zaquout, described the aftermath of a strike that killed children: “Why kill children sleeping safely like that, turning them into body parts? We pulled the children out in pieces.”
The UN estimated in August that around one million people resided in Gaza City and its surrounding areas. By Wednesday, the Israeli army stated that more than 350,000 individuals had fled southward, though many Palestinians argue there is no safe refuge left in the enclave.
The war, triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 assault on southern Israel, left 1,219 people dead, most of them civilians, according to official counts. In retaliation, Israel’s military campaign has so far claimed at least 64,964 lives, largely civilians, based on figures from Gaza’s health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN.
As international criticism mounts, countries such as France and Qatar have urged Israel to halt its offensive. Qatar, describing the operation as “an extension of its genocidal war against the Palestinian people”, also condemned the strikes. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio continues diplomatic efforts, urging Qatar to maintain its role as mediator in peace talks.
