Heavy shelling hits Gaza city before Israel’s major assault

Heavy shelling has hit Gaza city after the Israeli army began mobilising more forces for an assault to reoccupy the enclave’s largest urban area. “It was very difficult. The shelling came with all kinds of weapons from quadcopters, tanks, warplanes, from everywhere. It was like hell,” resident Madleen Abu Saif, 29, stated. “We tried to stay away from the windows and the street, and we stayed close to the house door so that we could evacuate immediately if necessary,” he added. Hospital officials said at least 24 people were killed in strikes overnight into Wednesday and 113 on Tuesday, more than half of them in Gaza city.