gaza, current events;

Massive explosions shook the Gaza Strip in the first hours of Saturday morning as Israeli warplanes launched intensive airstrikes on north, south, and central Gaza, in what the Israeli army called “preparations to expand operations” in the Strip.

Israeli airstrikes hit Khan Younis, Deir al-Balah, several parts of Gaza City, and Jabalia. A resident of the Shati’ refugee camp in Gaza City told Mondoweiss that “the occupation army had issued orders to evacuate Shati’ camp, but they called off the orders — and then they called for an evacuation again, keeping residents in constant anxiety.”

“Then, yesterday night, they began bombing all over Gaza, including Shati’ camp,” the Shati’ resident added. “It lasted all night.”

The airstrikes were accompanied by incursions of remote-controlled Israeli explosive vehicles in north Gaza, with local journalists reporting that the vehicle exploded in the Tal al-Zaatar neighborhood east of Jabalia between inhabited buildings. The pieces of shrapnel reached the Indonesian Hospital in the neighboring town of Beit Lahia, causing damage to the building, local journalists reported. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have already killed 250 Palestinians in the past two days alone...........more.........