Gaza City is now a dangerous combat zone, Israel says, adding that it is in the “initial stages” of a planned offensive that has drawn international condemnation.
Food and aid supplies were permitted to enter Gaza’s largest city from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to Israel’s military, which said it had stopped fighting at midday. It also said it had recovered the body of a hostage and the remains of another, and vowed its military offensive would return more.
The shift comes weeks after Israel first announced plans to widen its offensive in Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people are sheltering and enduring famine.Father of hostage calls recovery operation a ‘bittersweet moment’
Rubi Chen felt like he had been “stabbed in the stomach” by Israel on Friday because he believes his son is still in Gaza. One captive’s body and the remains of another, Israel claimed on Friday, had been returned from Gaza. One of them was named as Ilan Weiss, a man who was killed in the first Hamas attack. Chen stated, “It’s a bittersweet moment that the Weiss family is reunited with their loved one, even though he’s coming back not as they would have wanted.” The Weiss family is reunited with their loved one. “But at least they have closure… 49 families are still waiting for that closure,” Although Hamas has not provided any information regarding his son’s whereabouts, Chen stated that his family has received information indicating that his son did not survive the attack on Oct. 7.
Israel launches new offensive in Gaza, says remains of 2 hostages returned
