Israel bombards Gaza City, kills 16 people around enclave

Israeli forces killed at least 16 Palestinians across Gaza on Thursday and wounded dozens in the south of the enclave, local medics said, as residents reported that Gaza City suburbs were under intensifying bombardment.

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The Israeli military is preparing to seize Gaza City, the territory's largest urban centre, despite international calls on Israel to desist over fears that a ground offensive would cause significant casualties and displace the roughly one million Palestinians sheltering there.

In Gaza City residents said families were fleeing their homes, with most heading towards the coast, as Israeli forces shelled the eastern suburbs of Shejaia, Zeitoun, and Sabra. Thursday’s deaths took to 71 the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in the past 24 hours, Gaza's health ministry said.

Israeli officials describe Gaza City as the last urban stronghold of Hamas, which ignited the war with its deadly October 2023 attack on Israel. The Hamas group has since been decimated by Israel's air and ground war in Gaza.

The Israeli military said in a statement that it was continuing to operate throughout the enclave targeting what it described as “terrorist organizations” and infrastructure.

The military had killed three militants in the past day, it said, without saying how they had identified the individuals.