Palestinians evacuating northern Gaza report experiencing gunfire from the Israeli military forces.
Muhammad Saleem, 28, mentioned leaving their home in Jabalya, Gaza's northern region, due to the persistent and relentless explosion incidents in the area. Upon returning to retrieve necessities like food, water, and bedding, he and other civilians were targeted with gunfire, he claimed.
Saleem explained the scenario to CNN, narrating how drones were indiscriminately firing at individuals wandering on the road. He witnessed three individuals getting hit by bullets directly, including his brother, who subsequently aided the injured in reaching hospitals. Unfortunately, a young girl was shot in the neck, along with her father, during this tragic event.
The shooting incident happened near the Abu Sharkh roundabout in Jabalya, as per Saleem's account. CNN attempted to contact the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for a comment.
Footage recorded by Saleem while traveling reveals a road covered in sand and littered with debris and damaged buildings. Various individuals, including children burdened with heavy bags, are struggling to walk or use conveyances like bicycles or tuk-tuks.
The background echoed with the hum of drones and the deafening sound of bullets ripping through the air, causing panic and attempts at shelter.
Saleem can be heard shouting distressingly as he records civilians from a distance. A bleeding and limping man approaches him, while a girl motionless in an ambulance, with a blood-soaked bandage wrapped around her neck, is noted in the footage. The Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City later recognized her as the 9-year-old Dana Nasser, and informed CNN of her requirement for surgery. Her father, reportedly, sustained a gunshot wound to the leg, the hospital stated.
The Israeli military ordered fresh evacuation notices on Monday, for both northern and southern Gaza areas, where tens of thousands of Palestinians were seeking refuge. In northern Gaza, the military announced its ongoing operations with significant force and encouraged residents to shift to Al Mawasi, a designated "humanitarian zone" crammed with refugees.
Yesterday, Israel's military reported surrounding Jabalya while commencing a new ground operation there, aimed at restraining Hamas's attempts to recuperate its functional capabilities in the region.
Hamas's military department, Al-Qassam Brigades, announced engaging in intense battles with Israeli forces in northern Gaza.
The Israeli military dropped flyers over Jabalya on Tuesday morning, urging immediate evacuation for the residents, as reported by local residents to CNN.
Recent clashes resurfaced on the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks by Hamas.
indiscriminate gunfire at people
Jabalya resident Hassan Hamad, 18, was killed this week in his own home, according to his relative Itaf. Despite the dangerous environment and the difficulty in reaching the corpse, Itaf chose to remain in the city to honor her nephew with a proper burial. On Sunday, Hamad's family's house was hit by an Israeli missile in the city's refugee camp, per witness testimonies and shared footage, resulting in his tragic demise.
Explosions and shelling have been preventing Itaf from searching for her nephew's remains, which were scattered throughout the area after the attack, she explained to CNN.
"We are confined within our house to gather the remnants of Hassan's body, but now we cannot venture outside due to the intensity of the shelling and indiscriminate gunfire," the 58-year-old Itaf stated, revealing that the gunfire targets anything that moves.
Itaf spoke to CNN by phone from Jabalya, where the audible sounds of shelling could be heard in the background.
"We keep ourselves away from the windows, to avoid getting hit," she said.
Reports from the residents claim that the fighting in Jabalya is the most intense in recent days.
Mohammad Ibrahim, a resident of the city who decided to remain in his home with his two sons, shared his experiences with CNN. According to him, the intense explosions outside his house made his body feel as though it was tearing apart.
"I felt like my body was disintegrating," Ibrahim expressed, adding that the intensity of the gunfire now exceeds that observed at the outset of the war.
From his window, Ibrahim could see smoke rising between abandoned apartment buildings. "Anyone who tries to evacuate north to central Gaza is seeking their own demise," he said.
Jabalya has experienced numerous attacks during the war, and like many other parts of Gaza, its inhabitants are uncertain about their shelter options.
"We are living in the Stone Age," Ibrahim said. "There is no moral or ethical compass, no human rights."
The Middle East region, specifically Gaza, has been a hotspot of violence and unrest, with civilians like Muhammad Saleem fleeing their homes due to indiscriminate gunfire. The world watching in horror as explosions and shelling prevent families from recovering their loved ones' remains, such as 18-year-old Hassan Hamad's in Jabalya.
