Newsletters
Hundreds of Palestinians were forced to flee once again from the Saftawi neighborhood in northern Gaza as Israeli military operations intensified, activating its occupation plan for Gaza City.
The population of northern Gaza faces renewed forced displacement as Israeli attacks increase. Residents of Saftawi, part of Gaza City, left their homes carrying only a few belongings, many on foot, due to the scarcity of vehicles.
Women, children, the elderly, and the disabled struggled under the threat of ongoing shelling and gunfire.
The 360-square-kilometer Gaza Strip is home to 2.3 million Palestinians, many of whom have been displaced repeatedly over nearly two years due to continuous Israeli military operations.
The northern Gaza population alone—approximately one million people—is now confronting a fresh wave of forced displacement.
Following the Israeli cabinet’s approval on Aug. 8 of a plan to occupy northern Gaza, military operations have escalated.
The Israeli army has increased both aerial bombardments and ground artillery targeting northern neighborhoods, particularly Saftawi.
Videos from the area show residents evacuating under heavy gunfire and smoke from bombardments.
Reports indicate that some injured and disabled Palestinians faced extreme difficulty while fleeing.
The broader plan foresees relocating approximately one million residents southward, followed by the siege and occupation of Gaza City’s northern areas.
In a second phase, refugee camps in Gaza’s heavily damaged central areas are slated for occupation.
Israel previously occupied the Gaza Strip from 1967 to 2005 for 38 years. Today, the 2.3 million residents of Gaza live under an 18-year blockade, facing severe shortages and limited freedom of movement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the ultimate objective is the full occupation of the Gaza Strip, though media reports indicate the remaining phases of the occupation plan are not expected to be implemented before September.
1 min read
