During the past two days, Palestinians and medical teams recovered dozens of bodies of martyrs dumped in the streets and residential homes after the occupation withdrew from areas west of Gaza City, while the Hamas movement considered this an indication of the “criminal approach” followed by the occupation “with the aim of extermination.”
In the past two days, Palestinians and medical teams recovered dozens of bodies of martyrs dumped in the streets and residential homes after a partial Israeli withdrawal from areas west of Gaza City.
The Israeli occupation army continues to target civilians in various parts of the Gaza Strip, despite the trial that Tel Aviv is facing at the International Court of Justice on charges of committing genocide against the Palestinians.
Anatolia Agency quoted eyewitnesses and Palestinian paramedics in Gaza City as saying that dozens of bodies of martyrs killed by the occupation army in the homes and roads of Gaza City were transferred to hospitals during the day, Sunday and Saturday, after the occupation withdrew from many areas west of the city.
They added that the bodies were transported from the industrial area, Al-Katiba, universities, communications, Al-Nasr neighborhood, and Tal Al-Hawa.
Commenting on this, Hamas said on Sunday that the discovery of about 100 bodies of victims killed by the occupation army’s bullets after its withdrawal “indicates the criminal approach followed by this entity with the aim of extermination.”
The movement added, in a statement, “Finding 100 martyrs after the withdrawal of the occupation forces in the Al-Rimal and Tal Al-Hawa neighborhoods in Gaza City, most of whom were martyred by occupation sniper bullets, indicates the criminal approach followed by this entity.”
She continued: "Israel aims to exterminate and force our people to forcibly migrate from their land."
The movement called on the International Court of Justice "to document these crimes, adopt a decision to stop this war, and take all measures to stop these horrific crimes."
Statistics were not immediately issued by the Palestinian Ministry of Health regarding the number of martyrs found after the Israeli withdrawal.
This partial withdrawal also revealed widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure, and the burning of homes that were razed to the ground, according to witnesses.
Since mid-December, the occupation army began gradually withdrawing from areas in the northern Gaza Governorate, followed at the beginning of last January by partial withdrawals from neighborhoods and areas in the Gaza Governorate.
Israel approves a ground operation in Rafah and Egypt: a contribution to the displacement policy
The Israeli army approved a ground military operational plan in the Rafah area, south of the Gaza Strip, while Egypt warned Israel against invading this area, stressing that this would contribute to the displacement policy and lead to dire consequences.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that the Israeli occupation army approved on Sunday a plan to launch a ground military operation in the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip, despite warnings.
The broadcaster added, “The Army Chief of Staff, General Herzi Halevy, said during the weekly government session held on Sunday that the plan will be presented when the army demands it.”
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that they would attack Rafah, located on the border with Egypt, which he described as “the last stronghold of the Hamas movement in Gaza,” while he did not provide detailed information about the date of carrying out the ground attack.
"Serious consequences"
For its part, Egypt announced its rejection of Israel carrying out a military operation in the city of Rafah, warning that targeting the area constitutes an actual contribution to implementing the policy of displacing the Palestinian people and liquidating their cause.
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed, in a statement, its rejection of the statements of Israeli officials, warning of “the dire consequences of such a measure, especially in light of the risks it entails of exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.”
Egypt called for "the necessity of uniting all international and regional efforts to prevent the targeting of the city of Rafah, which now shelters approximately 1.4 million Palestinians who were displaced there because it is the last safe area in the Gaza Strip."
Egypt affirmed that it "will continue its contacts and movements with various parties, in order to reach an immediate ceasefire, implement the truce, and exchange prisoners and detainees."
Cairo also called on “influential international powers to intensify pressure on Israel to respond to these efforts, and to avoid taking measures that will further complicate the situation and cause harm to the interests of everyone without exception.”
The last refuge for the displaced
On Saturday, the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority said that the military operation in Rafah would begin after the completion of a “large-scale evacuation” of civilians from the city and its suburbs, while the government media office in Gaza warned of a “global catastrophe and massacre” if Israel invaded Rafah Governorate.
Rafah is the last refuge for the displaced in the afflicted sector, and includes more than 1,400,000 Palestinians, including 1,300,000 displaced people from other governorates.
Since the beginning of the ground operation launched by Israel in the Gaza Strip on October 27, it has been asking residents to go from the north and center of the Strip to the south, claiming that they are “safe areas,” but they are areas that have not been spared from the bombing of homes, cars, and hospitals.
Following the ongoing military operation in the Gaza Strip since last October 7, which left tens of thousands of victims, Israel faces accusations of committing “genocide” before the International Court of Justice for the first time in its history.