Israel continues attacks on Jabalia refugee camp, urges civilians to evacuate

On May 18, the Israeli army continued to attack the city of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, while urging people in this area to evacuate to shelters in the west of Gaza City.

On social media X, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee announced that the army had destroyed “a sabotage group in Jabalia after clashing with its members inside buildings."

The spokesman did not provide information about the “sabotage group,” but said the Israeli military suffered no casualties in the clash.

Earlier in the day, Palestinian medical sources confirmed that at least 28 people, including women and children, were killed in successive Israeli raids on the Jabalia refugee camp.

Meanwhile, Palestinian security sources said Israeli warplanes launched missile attacks on several homes and a temporary shelter for displaced people in the Jabalia refugee camp.

Regarding the situation in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip bordering Egypt, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said on May 18 that about 800,000 Palestinians have been forced to evacuate the city since Israel launched a military campaign there on May 7.

According to UNRWA, nearly half of Rafah’s population has been displaced to the so-called “safe zone”, mainly in central Gaza and the city of Khan Younis. Their current living conditions are dire due to a lack of water supply.

The Republic of Cyprus on May 18 pledged to ensure the smooth flow of humanitarian aid from Larnaca port to the Gaza Strip.

Cyprus is implementing plans under Project Amalthea to provide Gaza with 2,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid per week, said Theodoros Gotsis, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus.

However, the official stressed that the Amalthea Project only plays a complementary role to the main aid flow by road.