Israel Intensify Bombardment of Gaza as Ceasefire Approaches

Gaza, MINA – As ceasefire negotiations progress, Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has intensified, causing widespread damage and casualties.

“In an atmosphere resembling hell, last night was one of the bloodiest and most difficult nights for the Gaza Strip due to the unprecedented escalation of Israeli airstrikes and bombardments,” Bashar Abu Zakari wrote for Al-Jazeera Arabic website as quoted by Palestine Chronicle.

“It seems that the occupation forces aim to cause as much damage and bloodshed as possible before the imminent ceasefire agreement in Gaza,” he added.

While several sources confirmed significant progress in the negotiations held in Doha between the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas and Israel, which increases the chances of announcing a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and a prisoner exchange in the coming hours, the Israeli army has intensified its attacks on Gaza, killing and injuring many Palestinian civilians.

Activists shared a series of videos and photos on social media showing the scale of the Israeli massacres carried out in Gaza over the past hours. The latest was the targeting of a residential block on Al-Jalaa Street in Gaza City, northern Gaza, which left eight people dead and 30 injured.

Medical sources in Gaza said that 70 Palestinians were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip since dawn on Monday, including 12 in airstrikes early Tuesday.

Even as this report was being prepared, the bombardment continued, with more casualties being announced by medical sources and on social media.

A social media activist, Tamer, wrote on “X” that last night was one of the most difficult and harsh nights for Gaza, saying, “As in previous wars, when a ceasefire was imminent, hell was unleashed in the last days of the war, where the occupation tried to kill as many people as possible before ending its operations.”

Palestinian journalist Abdel Qader Sabah wrote, “There is no space in the rooms and departments of the Baptist Hospital (Al-Ahli Hospital – PC) to receive more wounded. The wounded are lying on the ground, bleeding, and there are no doctors to treat them.”

Activist Abu Salah also wrote on “X,” “A very harsh night, Gaza is burning, there are martyrs and wounded, and the bombing does not stop. People were killed in Gaza who were sleeping while waiting for news of the ceasefire.”

Some users on social media asked, “Tonight is very difficult for Gaza. When will the genocide end? Isn’t it time to do everything possible to stop this war?”

Activists stressed that the Israeli occupation intensifies its attacks in the final hours before the end of each round of fighting, burning everything in its path, and committing horrific massacres against innocent civilians.

With US support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, resulting in the death and injury of more than 156,000 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children, and more than 11,000 missing, amid massive destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian disaster. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)