Israeli occupation forces committed a new massacre this Monday morning, following a drone strike targeting a gathering of civilians in the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Medical sources confirmed the martyrdom of three citizens, including a child not exceeding eight years of age, while a number of wounded were transferred to nearby hospitals for treatment as a result of the shelling that targeted the vicinity of Wadi al-Salqa bridge.
The sources clarified that the martyrs are Ali Fayez Esbaitan, Hassan Salman al-Hanajra, and the child Malik Wael Abu Shawish, who died in a direct raid on Al-Baraka Street. This crime comes in the context of a series of continuous violations by the occupation army of the ceasefire agreement concluded last October, threatening the collapse of fragile understandings on the ground.
On the ground, local sources reported that occupation vehicles began to expand their military control in the central region by shifting what is known as the 'Yellow Line'. Israeli bulldozers moved concrete blocks an additional 150 meters westward, in a step aimed at seizing more land and establishing a new military reality within the Strip.
The new expansion operations included the area extending from the vicinity of the electricity company in the southern direction to the Wadi Gaza bridge in the north, where residents were surprised by the placement of concrete blocks alongside Salah al-Din Street. This move represents a clear violation of the terms of the ceasefire agreement, which stipulated a partial withdrawal, a comprehensive cessation of hostile operations, and the facilitation of the return of displaced persons.
Reports indicate that the occupation has completely reneged on its commitments regarding the agreed-upon deployment maps in the first phase of the agreement. According to current data, the percentage of land militarily controlled by the Israeli army has risen from 53% at the time of signing the agreement to approximately 70% currently, reflecting a strategy of gradual territorial encroachment.
Regarding human casualties, Ministry of Health data revealed that Israeli violations since the agreement came into effect have led to the martyrdom of 1048 people and the injury of thousands more. These figures reflect the occupation's insistence on continuing to target civilians despite political announcements of calm, exploiting the absence of effective international oversight on the ground.
It is worth noting that the Gaza Strip has suffered massive destruction affecting 90% of its infrastructure since the start of the war of extermination on October 8, 2023. The total toll of the aggression has reached more than 73,000 martyrs and 173,000 wounded, amid catastrophic humanitarian conditions and a near-complete halt of basic services due to the siege and continuous military operations.
Israel reneged on its commitments and continued its military operations, with the area of military control within the Strip increasing to 70% at present.
שתף את דעתך
3 Martyrs in Deir al-Balah and the Occupation Expands its Incursion into the Central Gaza Strip