Israeli tanks were seen in two areas of the city of Gaza, which are entry to the city center, residents said on Thursday (18), while the internet and telephone lines were cut throughout the territory, a sign that land operations are likely to increase soon.
THEIsralense forces control the suburbs of the east of the city of Gaza and in recent days have attacked the areas of Sheikh Radwan and Tel Al-Hawa, where they would be positioned to advance over the central and west, where the majority of the population is sheltered.
“Disconnection of telephone and internet services is a bad omen. It has always been a bad sign that something very brutal is about to happen,” said Ismail, who only gave a name. He was using an e-SIM to connect his phone, a dangerous method, as it requires to look for a higher place to receive signal.
“The situation around me is very desperate. People in tents and houses are very concerned about their lives. Many are unable to leave, but many do not want to,” he said, talking about a coastal area in the west of the city.
At least 14 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks or gaza shots on Thursday, including nine in the city of Gaza, local health officials said.
Palestinian telecommunications company stated in a statement that its services were interrupted “due to continuous aggression and attack on major network routes.”
In a press release, the Israeli Armed Forces said the troops were expanding their operations in the city of Gaza, dismantling what they called “terrorist infrastructure” and “eliminating terrorists.” The note did not mention the telecommunications blackout or provided details about the tanks movements.
He also reported that the military continues to operate in Khan Youis and Rafah in the south.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled the city of Gaza since Israel announced on August 10 that it intended to take control, but an even greater number remains in place, whether in homes destroyed between the ruins or in makeshift camps.
The military is launching leaflets asking residents to run away to a “humanitarian zone” in the south of the territory, but the conditions there are terrible, with insufficient foods, medicines and space and inadequate shelter.
Israel says he wants to crush the Palestinian militant group Hamas in his fortresses and free the last hostages still kept in Gaza, but his latest offensive, after two years of devastating war, attracted international conviction.
*Reproduction of this content is prohibited.
