Seven Israeli soldiers were injured in an explosion that struck an armored vehicle in Gaza City on Friday evening, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
The incident occurred while the troops were operating in the Zeitoun area, a location that has seen heavy military engagement in recent weeks.
Arab media outlets, including Al Jazeera, reported intense clashes in the region that night, claiming that Hamas had tried to abduct Israeli soldiers during the explosion. The Israeli military denied these reports.
Gaza City was declared a "high-risk combat zone" by Israeli authorities on Friday, halting the daily humanitarian pauses intended to ease food shortages. The city faces severe famine conditions due to the ongoing blockade, which has restricted the entry of essential supplies despite the brief pauses.
Last week, the Israeli defense ministry authorized plans to seize control of Gaza City, proceeding with the offensive despite opposition at home and abroad.
The conflict in Gaza has resulted in over 63,000 fatalities in the past 23 months. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
On Thursday, Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas's armed wing, cautioned that Israel's occupation plans would heighten the likelihood of Israeli soldiers being captured and endanger the lives of remaining hostages.
Before advancing further, Israeli forces aim to forcibly relocate Gaza City residents to the southern part of the territory.
Recent days have seen intensified airstrikes in the area. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, Israeli warplanes targeted tent camps in Zeitoun and al-Nasr on Saturday morning. Health officials in Gaza reported at least 62 Palestinian fatalities within 24 hours.
The renewed military campaign has already driven over 23,000 people from Gaza City, the United Nations stated on Thursday.
Home to nearly half of Gaza’s two million residents, the city is now facing extreme hunger. The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross warned that ensuring civilian safety during a mass evacuation would be unfeasible.
"It is impossible to conduct a mass evacuation from Gaza City safely or with dignity under these conditions," Mirjana Spoljaric said in a statement on Saturday. She noted that no other part of Gaza has the resources to handle such a large influx of people, given the severe lack of food and shelter.
Gaza’s health officials reported on Saturday that 10 individuals, including three children, had died in the past day due to starvation or malnutrition. Since the outbreak of the war in October 2023, 332 people have perished from hunger in Gaza, the majority being children.
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