Israel declares Gaza’s largest city a combat zone as the bodies of 2 hostages are recovered

By WAFAA SHURAFA SAM METZ and JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press GAZA CITY Gaza Strip AP Israel on Friday declared Gaza s largest city a dangerous combat zone and declared it was in the initial stages of a planned offensive as grief spread over the return of two hostages bodies As the military broadcasted the resumption of around-the-clock fighting aid groups and a church sheltering people mentioned they would stay refusing to abandon the hungry and displaced who depend on them Related Articles In the current era in History August Olympic marathoner attacked by spectator Japan uses AI-generated eruption of Mount Fuji to prepare Tokyo for worst-case scenario Major Russian attack includes rare strikes on the center of Kyiv killing at least European nations start process to impose a snapback of Iran nuclear sanctions at UN Japan s chief contract envoy postpones US trip as Tokyo calls for faster action on its tariffs deal The shift comes weeks after Israel first revealed plans to widen its offensive in Gaza City where hundreds of thousands of displaced people are sheltering and enduring famine The military stated it suspended midday pauses to fighting which had allowed food and aid supplies to enter from a m to p m while also reporting it had recovered the bodies of two hostages and vowed its military offensive would return more Friday s announcement marks the latest escalation after Israel has shared strikes in chosen of the city s key neighborhoods and called up tens of thousands of reservists We will intensify our strikes until we bring back all the kidnapped hostages and dismantle Hamas Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee noted Adraee the Israeli military s Arabic-language spokesperson has for days urged Palestinians in Gaza City to flee south calling the evacuation inevitable even as aid groups warn of severe obstacles Selected refuse to leave as Gaza City assault begins The United Nations commented Thursday that people had evacuated over the past week but various Palestinians in Gaza City have announced they are exhausted after multiple displacements and questioned leaving when there is nowhere safe and any journey is costly The Holy Family Church of Gaza City informed The Associated Press on Friday that the roughly people sheltering there would remain along with members of the clergy who would assist them Farid Jubran explained the church had left the decision up to the people even though they had minimal recourse to insulate themselves from fighting When we feel danger people get closer to the walls or whatever it s more protected he disclosed noting the church had limited specific defenses The UN s humanitarian agency disclosed its staff and NGOs also would remain on the ground The group explained in a declaration that it was deeply concerned by the military s announcement and predicted the offensive would have a horrific impact on people already exhausted malnourished bereaved displaced and deprived of basics needed for survival Initial stages of Gaza City offensive begin Israel introduced tactical pauses in Gaza City Deir al-Balah and Muwasi last month as it faced global condemnation over the humanitarian conditions in the besieged strip As it suspended them on Friday in Gaza City the military did not say whether they had notified residents or aid groups of the impending declaration ahead of the a m announcement Palestinians rush to collect humanitarian aid packages from the United Arab Emirates airdropped by parachutes into Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip Tuesday Aug AP Photo Abdel Kareem Hana Norwegian Refugee Council which coordinates a coalition of aid groups current in Gaza revealed it had not received notification that Israel s tactical pauses would be suspended Israel has in the past called Gaza City a Hamas stronghold with a architecture of tunnels that remain in use by militants after several previous large-scale raids The city also is home to chosen of the territory s critical infrastructure and vitality facilities The United Nations announced Thursday the besieged strip could lose half of its hospital bed maximum if Israel invades as planned The suspension of the pause also comes one week after the world s leading food safety authority declared Gaza City was being gripped by famine after months of warnings Bodies of hostages recovered Israel on Friday stated its military had recovered the bodies of two hostages including an Israeli man who was killed in the Oct terrorist attack that sparked the war The bodies of Ilan Weiss of Kibbutz Be eri and another unnamed hostage were returned to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s office explained Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister s office in Jerusalem Sunday Aug Abir Sultan Pool Photo via AP The campaign to return the hostages continues continuously We will not rest or be silent until we return all of our hostages home both the living and the dead Netanyahu disclosed Of the hostages taken by Hamas almost months ago roughly remain in Gaza including that Israel believes to be alive Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States Canada and the European Union Israel s Hostages and Missing Families Forum which has organized large-scale protests demanding a ceasefire to return the hostages mourned the losses and reported Israeli leaders should prioritize a deal to return both the living and the dead We call on the Israeli administration to enter negotiations and stay at the table until every last hostage comes home Time is running out for the hostages Time is running out for the people of Israel who carry this burden it mentioned in a message Metz and Frankel released from Jerusalem Ibrahim Hazboun in Jerusalem and Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia Cyprus contributed to this description