Israel bombs a hospital as part of a plan to occupy Gaza City

BarcelonaThe Israeli army has intensified its bombing campaign against Gaza City. This morning, it attacked Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City with drones, as part of a plan announced yesterday by the army spokesman to force the population to move to the south of the Strip. The attack on this medical center left seven dead, adding to the more than twenty reported since this morning throughout the enclave. At least thirteen have occurred at food distribution points managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Several journalists on the ground report that bombing has been constant since Saturday in Gaza City, and has been particularly severe in the Zeitoun neighborhood, one of the most densely populated and which has welcomed many families previously expelled from other areas. Explosions occurred at residential buildings, government facilities, and public facilities, confirmed by the Israeli army, which claims to have destroyed dozens of "terrorist targets."

The operation in the Zeitoun neighborhood, which is being reported in the Israeli media, is the preliminary step to the planned operation to militarily occupy the entire city of Gaza, which currently still hosts one million Palestinians, an operation which was approved last week by the Israeli executive. Along the same lines, this Saturday the army spokesman announced that preparations are underway to forcibly evacuate Palestinians from "combat zones" and force them to move to the southern part of the Strip.

Large demonstration in Israel calling for the release of the hostages

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Israelis joined a general strike today—which, however, did not receive the explicit support of the majority union, the Histadrut—to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of the hostages from Benjamin Netanyahu's government. The culmination of the protest, which lasted all day and cut off the country's main roads, was a gathering at dusk in Tel Aviv's so-called Ostatges Square. At least 30 people were arrested throughout the day for causing "public disturbances," according to the Israeli police.

The protesters were responding to a call from the October Council and the Forum for Hostages and Missing Families, two organizations representing families of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. Carrying flags, banners with the hostages' faces, and anti-government slogans, they protested the government's decision to expand the war in the Strip with a campaign to conquer Gaza City, rather than prioritizing a quick settlement that would bring their families home.

In a statement that makes no mention of the Gaza population or the hunger campaign it is enduring, the hostages' families assert that they are "forced to escalate" their fight to return the hostages home and that they planned to camp at the closest point to the Strip as an act of protest. "We are losing them, and if we don't bring them back now, we will lose them forever," the statement reads.

During the demonstration, messages were heard from some of the former captives, who demanded that Donald Trump return the hostages home and warned that they are in greater danger with each passing day. One scene that stood out from the rally was that of Israeli asset Gal Gadot, known for her role as Wonder Woman in the film of the same name, demonstrating for the release of the hostages. The asset emotionally hugged Einav Zangauker, the mother of a hostage.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog today called "international leaders and media" "hypocrites" and called on them to pressure the Islamist group Hamas to agree to the release of all Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip before signing any agreement. "Stop being hypocrites. Put pressure [...] and tell Hamas that there's no agreement or anything until they release them," Herzog said this morning during a visit to Tel Aviv's so-called Hostage Square on the occasion of the nationwide strike.