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 announced it was in the initial stages of a planned offensive as grief spread over the return of two hostages bodies As the military released the resumption of around-the-clock fighting aid groups and a church sheltering people disclosed they would stay refusing to abandon the hungry and displaced who depend on them Related Articles In the present day in History August Olympic marathoner attacked by spectator Japan uses AI-generated eruption of Mount Fuji to prepare Tokyo for worst-case scenario Major accomplishment for families against Saudi Arabia now Boston al Qaeda terror cell can be probed 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 The shift comes weeks after Israel first informed plans to widen its offensive in Gaza City where hundreds of thousands of displaced people are sheltering and enduring famine The military noted 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 stated strikes in various 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 revealed 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 Particular refuse to leave as Gaza City assault begins The United Nations stated Thursday that people had evacuated over the past week but multiple Palestinians in Gaza City have reported 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 reported 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 noted the church had left the decision up to the people even though they had scarce recourse to insulate themselves from fighting When we feel danger people get closer to the walls or whatever it s more protected he announced noting the church had inadequate specific defenses The UN s humanitarian agency disclosed its staff and NGOs also would remain on the ground The group mentioned in a report 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 proceeding in Gaza mentioned 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 arrangement of tunnels that remain in use by militants after several previous large-scale raids The city also is home to selected of the territory s critical infrastructure and fitness facilities The United Nations explained Thursday the besieged strip could lose half of its hospital bed threshold if Israel invades as planned The suspension of the pause also comes one week after the world s leading food assurance authority declared Gaza City was being gripped by famine after months of warnings Bodies of hostages recovered Israel on Friday explained 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 reported 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 explained 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 announced Israeli leaders should prioritize a deal to return both the living and the dead We call on the Israeli executive 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 announced in a declaration Metz and Frankel shared from Jerusalem Ibrahim Hazboun in Jerusalem and Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia Cyprus contributed to this description