Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Sep 17: Israel on Wednesday announced a “temporary” evacuation route for residents of Gaza City, even as its military intensified a large-scale ground offensive following heavy bombardment of the territory’s main population centre.

Military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the route along Salah al-Din Street would remain open for 48 hours, allowing civilians a brief window to leave.

The ground operation, launched late Tuesday, has brought tanks and remote-controlled armoured vehicles laden with explosives into the heart of Gaza City. This move comes in defiance of global criticism and a UN commission’s finding that Israel is committing genocide in the enclave — a charge Israel has dismissed as “distorted and false”.

For the first time, the Israeli military indicated that the Gaza City campaign could take “several months” to achieve its objectives. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the focus was on “defeating the enemy and evacuating the population”, notably omitting any mention of the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. Families of the hostages staged protests outside Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, accusing him of abandoning their cause.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres voiced concern that Israel had no interest in pursuing peace or negotiating a ceasefire. “Israel is determined to go up to the end … with dramatic consequences,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s health ministry reported that 59 people were killed and 386 injured in the past 24 hours, pushing the official Palestinian death toll from the nearly two-year-long war to almost 65,000.