Leaflets fell between the bombs in Gaza on Wednesday, July 10, the Israeli army dropped thousands of documents on the city, calling on “all persons” located in the capital, in the north of the besieged Palestinian territory, to leave for the south, according to an AFP journalist present on the scene. “To all persons present in the city of Gaza, security corridors allow you to go quickly and without inspection from the city of Gaza to shelters in Deir el-Balah and Al Zawiya,” the piece of paper states. “The city of Gaza remains a dangerous combat zone,” the text warns.
The Israeli army’s new tactic is being deployed as troops relentlessly continue a major offensive on the city on Wednesday, supported by aircraft and artillery. For the fourth time in as many days, an Israeli strike hit a school sheltering displaced people in Abassan near Khan Younis, in the south of the Palestinian territory, on Tuesday evening. The strike left 29 dead, including children, according to a medical source and Hamas. The Israeli army said it was targeting “terrorists” in these raids. “Dozens of terrorists” have been killed in recent days and underground tunnels destroyed in Shujaiya, in the east of Gaza City, according to the army.
Negotiations underway in Doha
After announcing in January the dismantling of Hamas’ command in northern Gaza, the army has resumed its ground operations in the region in recent days, in the 10th month of a devastating war that has already left 38,243 dead according to the latest Palestinian count. At Nasser hospital where the victims of the Abassan strike were transferred, many wounded people including children, young people and old people were transported by their relatives, on foot, in vans or ambulances, according to AFP images. The Palestinian Red Crescent said its ambulances could not reach the victims in Gaza due to the intensity of the bombardments.
On Tuesday, independent UN experts accused Israel of waging a “starvation campaign” in Gaza, which they said was leading to the deaths of children. “Israel’s intentional and targeted campaign of starvation against the Palestinian people is a form of genocidal violence and has resulted in famine throughout the Gaza Strip.”
Meanwhile, negotiations are expected in Qatar to try to move toward a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages. After months of fruitless negotiations, a source familiar with the discussions said the heads of the CIA and Israeli intelligence services were expected in Doha on Wednesday. Israel and Hamas continued to report differences after the Palestinian movement said it no longer called for a permanent ceasefire before any negotiations on the release of hostages. Israel, for its part, continues to say it wants to continue the war until Hamas is destroyed.