Israeli tanks were stationed on the edge of Gaza City on Wednesday ahead of a planned ground operation into the enclave’s largest urban area, according to eyewitnesses and satellite imagery.
Amid the military buildup, tens of thousands of Palestinians continued to leave the city, which was estimated to have a total of about 1 million inhabitants — many of them already displaced multiple times.
Israeli officials announced Tuesday that the ground operation had begun, but eyewitnesses and satellite images revealed that tanks had yet to enter the city. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is at a “critical stage” in the war as it attacks Gaza City, which his government sees as one of the last remaining strongholds of Hamas.
The United Nations and others have warned that a ground assault will worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis, with parts of Gaza officially declared under famine.
The Israeli government has maintained it is conducting the war in Gaza in self-defense and in accordance with international law, firmly denying accusations of genocide.
Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye.
