Escalation in Gaza: Israeli Tanks Deepen City Incursion Amidst Ceasefire Negotiations

Gaza City residents flee as Israeli tanks advance during a heightened military offensive, complicating ceasefire negotiations. Mediators from Qatar and Egypt, supported by the U.S., are pushing for a deal. Fighting intensifies in key districts, with significant casualties reported, and Israeli strikes on Gaza continue to cause devastation.

Gaza City residents fled under Israeli fire as tanks thrust deeper into the heart of the city on Tuesday, marking the second day of an intensified military offensive. The Palestinian militant group Hamas warned that the escalation could jeopardize ongoing ceasefire talks. Efforts by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, backed by the United States, have accelerated this week to finalize a ceasefire and secure the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli tanks expanded their incursion into Gaza City districts like Shejaia, Sabra, and Tel Al-Hawa, areas witnessing some of the fiercest fighting since the conflict began. Footage showed families fleeing on donkey carts and trucks, laden with personal belongings, as Israeli evacuation orders prompted mass exodus.

"Gaza City is being wiped out," said Um Tamer, a mother of seven, via a chat app. Her family has fled their home seven times since the war started in October. "We can't take it anymore, enough of death and humiliation. End the war now." The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that all its medical clinics in Gaza City are out of service due to evacuation orders.

(With inputs from agencies.)