Israel's government has not yet announced a timeline for when the country's forces will enter Gaza City. But according to the civil defense spokesperson, Mahmud Bassal, residential areas have already seen an escalation.
The neighborhoods of Zeitoun and Sabra have been hit by "very heavy air strikes with civilian homes, possibly even high-rise buildings, as targets", Bassal tells the news agency AFP.
The ground is shaking
The escalation has occurred over the past three days, with "all types of weapons - bombs, drones and high-explosive weapons that cause extensive destruction of civilian housing".
The ground is shaking with every attack, says Majed al-Hosary in Zeitoun to AFP, and testifies that there are dead under the rubble that no one can reach due to the ongoing attacks.
The civil defense reports on Tuesday morning that at least 24 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip during the day, several of them in Gaza City.
More have starved to death
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Israeli security cabinet approved the escalated war plans on Sunday. During a press conference, he then stated that the purpose is to bring home hostages and "liberate Gaza".
According to health authorities, a total of 89 dead have been reported in the past 24 hours, according to a statement published on Telegram just after 12 o'clock. Among them are 31 people who are said to have been killed while trying to get emergency aid.
Five people, including two children, are said to have died as a result of starvation and malnutrition. A total of 227 people (103 children) have thus starved to death in Gaza.
