Israeli forces have sent tanks into the western side of the Nuseirat camp in Gaza, in a fresh incursion into the enclave’s central region, and Palestinian medics said Israeli military strikes had killed at least 30 people since Sunday night.
Residents said Israeli tanks opened fire as they entered the area, one of eight traditional refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, sparking panic among residents and displaced families.
A resident, Zaik Mohamad, said the tanks’ advance had come as a complete surprise.
“Some people were unable to leave and were trapped in their homes, pleading to be allowed to leave, while others rushed out with everything they could carry as they fled,” Mohamad, 25, who lives one kilometer from the targeted area, told Reuters via a chat app.
With the war in Gaza now in its 14th month, Israel is focusing its operations on the north and center in what it says is a campaign to stop Hamas fighters carrying out attacks and to prevent them from regrouping.
Tens of thousands of Palestinian residents have been told to evacuate the area, fueling fears that they may never be allowed to return.
