Palestinians fled parts of Gaza City after the Israeli military began the first stages of its planned offensive

Palestinians fled parts of Gaza City on Thursday as Israel’s military began the first stages of its planned offensive and vowed to completely obliterate the “battered and bruised” Hamas terror stronghold.

Israel’s troops have already established a foothold on the outskirts of the Palestinian enclave’s largest city and called up an additional 60,000 reservists to serve in the next phase of the war.

“We will deepen the blows to Hamas in Gaza City, a terror stronghold… We will deepen the blows to the terror infrastructure above and below ground — and disconnect the reliance of the population on Hamas,” Israel Defense Force (IDF) spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Wednesday.

The IDF “is not waiting” and has already begun initial operations in Gaza City ahead of the planned offensive to seize full control, he said.

“IDF troops are already taking control of the outskirts of Gaza City,” he said, adding that Hamas is a “battered and bruised guerrilla organization.”

The movement comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with his cabinet ministers later Thursday to discuss his plan to seize Gaza City.

The timeline for the offensive wasn’t immediately clear.

Still, thousands of Palestinians were fleeing their homes as Israeli forces escalated shelling on the Sabra and Tuffah neighborhoods.

“We are facing a bitter-bitter situation, to die at home or leave and die somewhere else, as long as this war continues, survival is uncertain,” said Rabah Abu Elias, 67, a father of seven.

“In the news, they speak about a possible truce, on the ground, we only hear explosions and see deaths.

To leave Gaza City or not isn’t an easy decision to make.”

Israeli tanks have been edging closer to densely populated Gaza City over the past week.

The tens of thousands of newly called-up reservists are likely to operate in parts of Gaza City where they haven’t been deployed yet and where Israel believes Hamas is still active, an Israeli official said.

Although Israel has already targeted and wiped out much of Hamas’ senior leadership, parts of Hamas are actively regrouping and carrying out attacks — including launching rockets towards Israel, the official added.

With Post wires