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Gaza residents flee Shejaia due to surprise IDF attack

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Israeli forces began a renewed invasion of Shejaia in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday after taking operational control there in January.

The Jerusalem Post Israeli and defense sources gave conflicting statements as to whether this latest operation was more like “Jabalia 2.0,” in which Israeli forces re-entered northern Gaza for a brief but significant period of several weeks, or more like “Nuseirat 2.0,” in which Israeli forces re-entered central Gaza as a diversionary maneuver to create the right conditions for a hostage rescue operation.

To date, all three rescue operations by the Israeli Defense Forces during the war have taken place above ground. Although most of the remaining hostages are believed to be held underground, some are known to still be above ground.

“You have to evacuate”

There are no reliable reports yet on the movements of the ground troops, but the IDF’s Arab spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Avichay Adraee, addressed the residents of Shejaia and said: “To all residents and civilians in the area of ​​Shejaia and the new neighborhoods: For your safety, you must immediately evacuate south towards Salah ad-Din Street to the humanitarian zone.”

Avichay Adraee: Israel’s face in the Arab world (Source: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

At the time of writing, the invasion consisted largely of a mix of air strikes, tank and artillery movements.

Sources in Shejaia told the Palestinian press that “the advance of the vehicles into the neighborhood was sudden, the army surrounded a residential building in the neighborhood. In the background there was heavy shooting and bombardment from the air and artillery.” Ynet reported.

Further reports say IDF vehicles are advancing from several directions, including Baghdad Street, Al-Shaf Street and the Jabal Al-Rais area.

Residents of the Sdot Negev regional council, who live parallel to Shejaia on the Israeli side of the border, heard explosions and loud noises in the area.

In the north, the air force attacked and killed a Hezbollah terrorist who was trying to send unmanned aerial vehicles to Israel, the Israeli army said on Thursday.

In addition, fighter jets attacked Hezbollah military buildings in the Houla and Aitaroun areas. At the same time, IDF troops fired artillery fire in the Hamoul and Naqoura areas.

Earlier that day, two Hezbollah drones landed and exploded in the Rosh HaNikra area, but no casualties were reported.

At the time of writing, there were also reports of heavy rocket fire in the Galilee from Lebanon, but the Israeli military had not yet responded to these reports.

At a ceremony for Air Force graduates, Air Force Chief Major General Tomer Bar said Israel’s best response to Hezbollah’s drone threat was a stronger offensive.



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