Disaster in the North—this is how the words reach us from those besieged in the northern city of Gaza. With the beginning of a large-scale operation by the Israeli forces early Sunday, the occupation aims to displace the residents of northern Gaza as part of the recently revealed “Generals’ Plan.”
The Israeli army initiated its operations by encircling the northern areas of Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and the Jabalia refugee camp, which has faced fierce resistance for an entire year.
The occupation’s plan began with intense bombardment of populated homes and refugee camps, followed by evacuation orders. Its latest phase involves targeting flour storage facilities, bakeries, and surrounding hospitals, aiming to destroy all means of life in the area.
Bodies Lie Unrecovered Amid Ongoing Assaults
The bodies of dozens of martyrs remain in the streets of the Jabalia camp and under the rubble of demolished homes. Ambulance teams are unable to reach them due to the Israeli forces’ encirclement of most roads. Meanwhile, Israeli artillery continues to pound the vicinity of “Kamal Adwan Hospital.”
Hospitals Under Siege
The Israeli military warned Palestinians to evacuate their homes in the town and refugee camp of Jabalia and head south through a “safe corridor.” However, the Ministry of Interior and National Security in Gaza advised citizens against following this directive, calling it “deception and lies.”
On Tuesday, the Israeli army surrounded the Kamal Adwan, Indonesian, and Al-Awda hospitals, demanding their evacuation within 24 hours.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that the Israeli forces have besieged Kamal Adwan Hospital, demanded its evacuation within 24 hours, and even opened fire on the administration’s office.
The hospital administration revealed that the Israeli military had arrested a paramedic and hindered the evacuation of premature infants. This, they argue, is part of the occupation’s broader aim to disable the health sector and force the residents of northern Gaza to flee.
The hospital’s administration called upon international organizations to break their silence and “put an end to this unjust decision.” The Ministry of Health warned that the hospital would cease operations within hours due to a shortage of fuel.
A Desperate Plea for Protection
The Ministry of Health emphasized the “urgent need for serious protection for medical institutions and their working staff, especially in the northern sector.”
Hossam Abu Safia, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, stated, “The Israeli army has given us 24 hours to fully evacuate the hospital of patients and medical staff.”
He added, “The army directly communicated with us, delivering a threatening message that we must evacuate the hospital or face danger.”
Abu Safia described the situation as “dangerous,” warning that it threatens to “collapse the health system in the northern sector.” He expressed concerns about a new plan to displace the people of northern Gaza by crippling its healthcare system.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli army had warned Palestinians in Jabalia town and refugee camp to evacuate southward through a “safe corridor.” The Ministry of Interior and National Security in Gaza cautioned citizens against complying, calling it a “deception.”
Destruction of Vital Resources
After bombing civilians and refugee gathering points, the Israeli forces targeted and destroyed the only functioning bakery in the Jabalia refugee camp—”Shalafouh Bakery.”
On Tuesday evening, the Palestinian Civil Defense reported that the Israeli army committed massacres in the northern areas of the Gaza Strip amid the fourth day of its extensive assault, warning of the deteriorating humanitarian situation caused by the blockade.
The Civil Defense said in a statement, “The humanitarian conditions in the northern governorate are worsening hour by hour due to the wide-scale attacks on Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and Jabalia, coupled with the intense blockade that prevents food, water, and medicine supplies.”
An Alarming Threat to Humanitarian Conditions
Hamas described the Israeli army’s threats to evacuate three northern Gaza hospitals as a “criminal attempt to execute a displacement plan.”
In its statement, the movement said, “The Israeli military’s threats to evacuate Kamal Adwan, Indonesian, and Al-Awda hospitals of patients and medical staff is a criminal attempt to carry out displacement plans by the occupying government.”
It added, “This terroristic threat to hospitals, and their forced evacuation under bombardment and direct targeting, is a death sentence for thousands of patients, including women, the elderly, and children.”
The movement also urged the United Nations and international bodies to “intervene immediately to stop this crime and take action to protect medical facilities and hospitals, providing them with necessary fuel, equipment, and medical supplies.”
Media reports, quoting eyewitnesses, described how the bodies of martyrs lie scattered across the streets of the Jabalia refugee camp, with rescue teams unable to retrieve many of the missing buried beneath the rubble of destroyed homes.
The “Generals’ Plan”
Following the Israeli army’s failure to achieve its objectives in Gaza, it appears that Netanyahu’s government has begun to implement the recently announced “Generals’ Plan.”
Late last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that his government is considering the “Generals’ Plan,” as reported by Israeli media.
Netanyahu said, “This is one of the plans under consideration, and we are committed to dismantling Hamas’ civilian control.”
According to Haaretz, the Generals’ Plan has become a point of pressure on the government, especially within the security-political cabinet, and aligns with Netanyahu’s vision to assert control over northern Gaza and displace its residents.
The plan, developed by a group of retired generals, is centered on the displacement of northern Gaza’s population to the south, under the pretext of eliminating the resistance.
Detailed Strategy of the Plan
The plan, which Israeli media recently exposed, involves the following key steps: cutting off financial resources, undermining Hamas’ recruitment capabilities, disrupting supplies, and eliminating motivations for continued resistance.
Retired General Giora Eiland, one of the architects of this plan, advocated for a full military blockade of northern Gaza and an immediate order for evacuation.
The plan would begin with the distribution of leaflets by the Israeli military, instructing about 500,000 Palestinians to leave the area within one week.
Eiland’s plan includes claims of providing “safe corridors” for residents to move south, with checkpoints to distinguish civilians from fighters.
After the evacuation period, the Israeli forces would enforce a complete blockade on northern Gaza, declaring it a closed military zone. Entry or residence by Palestinians would be strictly prohibited, as would the flow of humanitarian aid or food supplies.
Eiland emphasized that anyone remaining in northern Gaza should be considered a “Hamas fighter,” subject to direct engagement by the military, with the intent of launching a new large-scale operation in the area.
Analysis: Factors of the Plan’s Likely Failure
From Israel’s previous experiences in Gaza, both before and after 2005, such strategies have proven practically ineffective, especially since the resistance has adapted to more challenging conditions.
Considering the ongoing battles from the north to the south of the Strip, the occupation has yet to secure control over any part of Gaza. Despite claims of destroying resistance factions, attacks continue daily, spanning from Rafah in the south to Beit Hanoun in the north.
The resistance has consistently declared its readiness for a long-term war of attrition, with its military capabilities still evident on the battlefield. This resilience was showcased when Tel Aviv came under fire just two days ago on the anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Storm operation.
On the other hand, multiple fronts within Israeli territory have become active, with escalations occurring in the south and in attacks targeting deeper areas like Haifa and Tel Aviv.
Additionally, drone and missile attacks from Iraq and Yemen have added further pressure on the battlefield. The involvement of multiple fronts and the possibility of a wider conflict, potentially involving Iran, indicate that Netanyahu is far from being able to isolate Gaza, even as time and public support work against him.
