Israeli Military Advances in Northern Gaza: A Firsthand Account

On Saturday, a group of foreign journalists, including a reporter from The New York Times, were taken into northern Gaza by Israeli military leaders to witness the extent of their advance. The signs of battle between Hamas, the Palestinian militia, and the Israeli army were evident along the northern coastline of Gaza. Buildings were destroyed, walls were riddled with bullet holes, and residents had fled south, leaving the area to the Israeli soldiers and a few stray animals.

The Israeli army had been fighting its way south for eight days, aiming to vanquish Hamas, which had orchestrated a deadly raid on Israel the previous month. Thousands of troops had been deployed, and the military had established control over the northern stretch of Gaza’s coastal road.

The northern coastline of Gaza, which was once a quiet seafront with resorts and hotels, had become a massive Israeli military camp. Infantry marched along the road, tanks and armored vehicles dominated the landscape, and soldiers gathered around portable stoves to cook and rest. However, the atmosphere was far from calm, as the soldiers remained vigilant for possible attacks from Hamas fighters emerging from underground tunnels.

The journalists experienced the dangers firsthand when mortar shells landed close to their armored vehicle and a roadside bomb exploded nearby. The Israeli military was moving closer to Gaza City, where more intense battles were expected to take place as Hamas fighters had entrenched themselves in underground fortifications.

The Israeli army’s objective was to capture all of Gaza to truly rout Hamas, but analysts warned that such fighting could result in catastrophic civilian losses. Israel claimed to be doing its best to target only Hamas without harming civilians, but for the residents of Gaza City who had endured intense bombings, the Israeli army’s approach was terrifying.

With mobile networks often out of service, residents tried to assess the situation by listening to the sounds of gunfire. Fear and uncertainty gripped the city as they awaited the army’s next move.

Contributors: Ronen Bergman (reporting from northern Gaza), Iyad Abuheweila (reporting from Cairo), Abu Bakr Bashir (reporting from London), Patrick Kingsley (reporting from Jerusalem)