Israel launches offensive on Gaza

In recent days, the Israeli military has gradually expanded its air strikes in and around Gaza, but has not sent ground troops into the densely populated northern city, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are believed to be hiding, Axios reports.

The IDF says that about 300,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City in recent weeks, after its population swelled to about one million displaced persons earlier this year.

The Israeli army has called on all residents of Gaza City to evacuate, but the appeal has had limited success as many fear that other areas of the Gaza Strip are no longer safe.

Photo: Khalil Sayegh.