ISRAEL – On Friday, the Israeli army declared Gaza City a dangerous combat zone, removing all temporary pauses in military activities, despite the densely populated nature of the city (nearly 1 million civilians) and ongoing humanitarian crises.

The army said it would continue offensive operations against “terrorist organizations” while claiming to support humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip.

Eyewitnesses said that intense firepower and airstrikes were concentrated in the northern and eastern districts of the city, with heavy smoke rising over residential areas.

Residents reported that Israeli warplanes were flying continuously over the city, while explosions and fires erupted in multiple neighborhoods, including Al-Karama, Al-Saftawi, Abu Iskandar, the end of Al-Jalaa Street, and the Intelligence Towers.

In response, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned that “an intensified military operation in Gaza City would put around 1 million people at risk of being forcibly displaced again.”

“With famine already confirmed in the area, any further escalation would deepen suffering and push more people toward catastrophe,” it added.

Israel’s full blockade of Gaza, in place since early March, has created catastrophic conditions for its 2.4 million residents, leading to famine, widespread disease and the collapse of essential services.