Israeli forces intensify attacks in Shujayea as death toll rises in Gaza | News on Israel-Palestine conflict

Soldiers advance into a neighborhood of Gaza City, while at least 60,000 Palestinian residents have been displaced, according to the UN.

The Israeli military has said its troops are intensifying operations in the Shujayea neighborhood east of Gaza City and are “fighting above and below ground simultaneously.”

A situation report on Saturday said that troops had eliminated “a large number of terrorists” over the past day and discovered a weapons cache on the grounds of a school.

It said the air force also “attacked terrorist targets and armed terrorist cells, including a terrorist cell that was on its way to fire on troops.”

Earlier, the Israeli military issued a statement urging residents of Shujayea and neighboring areas to move south along the main Salah al-Din road, which runs the entire length of the enclave.

Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary reported from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza that Israeli forces attacked a group of Palestinians in Gaza City who were trying to fill water containers at a distribution point.

“Four Palestinians from the same family, the al-Ghazi family, were killed in this attack. Among them was a child,” she said.

“We saw a video on the internet showing the child lying on the floor covered in blood in his father’s arms before paramedics could take him to the hospital.”

At least 60,000 displaced: UN

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the new Israeli offensive in Shujayea had led to the displacement of “at least 60,000” residents.

“Humanitarian partners report new displacements… Yesterday, the Israeli military ordered residents of 28 apartment blocks in areas east of Gaza City to evacuate immediately… At least 60,000 people have been displaced from this area, which stretches over seven square kilometers (2.7 square miles),” Dujarric said.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army said its troops continued their intelligence-backed operation in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip and had “eliminated numerous terrorists in the area” over the past day.

In central Gaza, the army said it had “eliminated numerous terrorists” on the ground and the air force had attacked “several anti-tank missile positions.”

In addition, two missiles were identified that flew from Gaza into the Israeli region of Sderot. One was intercepted by air defenses, the other fell into an open area.

Dujarric also said that a military operation in the al-Mawasi area in the south of the Gaza Strip, which Israel declared a “security zone”, had caused many casualties and displaced at least 5,000 people.

At least two people were killed in an Israeli bomb attack near the Al-Istiqama mosque in the Al-Jnaina neighborhood east of Rafah, sources told Al Jazeera.

Scores of other people were injured when Israeli forces opened fire near the al-Alam roundabout west of Rafah.

On Saturday, the Gaza Strip’s Health Ministry said at least 37,834 people had been killed and 86,858 injured in Israel’s war against Gaza since October 7.

The updated death toll includes 40 Palestinians killed and 224 injured in the last 24-hour reporting period, it said.