Israel bombards Gaza City, army says four soldiers killed

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories (AFP) — Israeli tanks and jets pounded Gaza City, the target of a major ground offensive, on Thursday prompting Palestinians to flee south, where the Israeli military announced the deaths of four soldiers.

Agence France-Presse journalists and witnesses saw a steady stream of Gazans heading south on foot, in vehicles and on donkey carts — their meager belongings piled high.

“There is artillery fire, air strikes, quadcopter and drone gunfire. The bombing never stops,” said Aya Ahmed, 32, sheltering with 13 relatives in Gaza City.

“The world doesn’t understand what is happening. They (Israel) want us to evacuate south — but where will we live? There are no tents, no transport, no money.”

Palestinians say the cost of a ride to the south has soared, in some cases topping $1,000.

“The situation is indescribable — crowds everywhere, the sound of explosions, women and men crying and screaming as they walked while carrying their belongings,” said Shadi Jawad, 47, describing his family’s ordeal as they fled their home on Wednesday.

“God, send a missile to take us out and relieve us,” he said.

The offensive has sparked international outrage, with the territory already devastated by nearly two years of war and the Gaza City area gripped by a United Nations (UN)-declared famine.

It comes ahead of a planned move by several Western countries, including France and Britain, to recognize a Palestinian state later this month at the UN.

US President Donald Trump, currently on a visit to Britain, said Thursday he had a “disagreement” with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over this.

The United States on Thursday again vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, shielding its ally Israel from diplomatic pressure.

Later on Thursday the Israeli military said four of its soldiers had been killed using an explosive device in Rafah, in southern Gaza.

Meanwhile, a Jordanian driving an aid truck from Jordan to Gaza shot dead two Israeli soldiers at the Allenby crossing between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the kingdom.

Israel’s military said one of the men was an officer in the civil administration’s reserve unit, while the other was a soldier.

“This is the result of the echoing of Hamas’ campaign of lies,” the foreign ministry said on X.

Jordan condemned the attack, saying it jeopardized the delivery of aid, with the Israeli military later calling for aid from Jordan to be halted.