Israeli tanks roll further into Gaza as airstrikes kill 50 | World

Israeli tanks raged further into Gaza today, sending terrified families fleeing for their lives – while fresh air strikes left up to 50 dead.

Jerusalem’s armed forces confirmed they had stepped up their bombing across the war-torn Gaza Strip and ordered more evacuations, triggering a new wave of displaced people from northern Gaza.

Sobbing Palestinians said they feared they would never be able to return.

Health officials in Gaza said up to 50 people were killed and many others injured in Israeli airstrikes, the worst of which hit a school housing displaced families in Gaza City’s Shati refugee camp.

As Israeli tanks rolled into Beit Lahiya, a month after a new attack on northern Gaza, dozens of families streamed out, arriving at schools and other shelters in Gaza City with whatever belongings and food they could take.

Drones hovered overhead broadcasting evacuation orders, which were also broadcast via social media, and audio and text messages were sent to residents’ phones, a displaced man said.

“After driving out most or all of the people in Jabalia, they are now bombing everywhere, killing people on the roads and in their homes to drive everyone out,” said the man, who gave only one name, Ahmed, for fear of repercussions.

Palestinian officials said so Israel carries out a plan of “ethnic cleansing”. Residents said no aid has arrived in Jabalia, Beit Lahiya or Beit Hanoun since the operation started on October 5.

But the Israeli army said it was forced to evacuate Jabalia and begin clearing nearby Beit Lahiya this week to tackle Hamas militants it says have regrouped there.

It denied reports that people evacuated from northern Gaza would not be allowed to return and said it continued to allow aid to northern Gaza and the Jabalia area, where it said it was engaged in “intense fighting”.

“The statement attributed to the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) over the past 24 hours, claiming that residents of northern Gaza are not allowed to return to their homes, is false and does not reflect the objectives and values of the IDF,” the report said.

It said 300 trucks carrying aid from the United Arab Emirates had arrived at Ashdod port and would be sent to Gaza via the Erez crossing in the north and Kerem Shalom in the south.