Israeli onslaught wreaks havoc on northern Gaza

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - An ongoing Israeli offensive has wreaked havoc across the northern Gaza Strip amid a tight siege that has left the area’s population on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli army claims that its deadly offensive in northern Gaza aims to prevent Hamas fighters from regrouping in the area. Palestinians dispute the Israeli claim, saying the deadly attack aims to force them to leave the area once and for all.

Ten days into the onslaught, more than 300 people have been killed amid massive destruction across the area, according to Palestinian authorities.

Residents reported the blowing up of dozens of homes by Israeli forces in Jabalia and Beit Lahia in northern Gaza.

“The sounds of explosions and house demolitions carried out by the Israeli army do not stop for even an hour,” an eyewitness told Anadolu.

“Thick clouds of smoke cover the area as the Israeli army blew up dozens of houses there,” he added.

Early on Monday, at least two people were killed and dozens injured in Israeli bombardment of several areas in northern Gaza, according to medical sources.

As airstrikes and artillery shelling continued to rattle the area, Israeli forces erected barricades to obstruct access to Gaza City, forcing residents to flee southward along Salah al-Din Road, which Israel designated as the only route for safe passage from northern Gaza.

According to witnesses, bodies are scattered across the streets in several neighborhoods all over northern Gaza as ambulances and civil defense teams were unable to reach the area.

A crippling siege imposed by the Israeli army has worsened the already humanitarian conditions in the area, leaving its population struggling to get food and water to survive, witnesses said.

Northern Gaza is home to over half of the territory’s 2.3 million population. The area was brought to rubble in the first phase of Israel’s brutal war that started last year following a Hamas attack.

Nearly 42,300 people have since been killed across Gaza, mostly women and children, and over 98,600 injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the Gaza Strip amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.