Stray dogs 'attacking' Israeli solders in north Gaza

Stray dogs have been attacking Israeli soldiers in northern Gaza, according to Israeli media reports, as the dogs warn the soldiers off their territory which has been besieged by Israeli forces for over four months.

Hundreds of dogs are believed to be wandering around Gaza since the beginning of Israel’s offensive in the territory, which has seen miles of neighbourhoods decimated and the majority of the coastal enclave's 2.3 million population uprooted.

In a report first aired by Israeli public radio station KAN, soldiers have been complaining to their officers of being attacked by packs of growling and snaring dogs in north Gaza and along the Israeli frontier.

Last week, an Israeli soldier posted a video on TikTok of a stray dog, with the soldier commenting that the animal was “only uninvolved civilian” in Gaza.

Dogs from Gaza have also been seen entering Israeli villages near the Gaza border and attacking livestock.

In response, Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority said that there was “no choice” but to shoot the dogs dead.

Meanwhile, Sulala Animal Rescue in Gaza has been treating dozens of wounded dogs, cats and donkeys who have been neglected or abandoned during the fighting. Sulala has also appealed for more animal feed to be allowed in to Gaza for the thousands of animals starved by Israel's total siege on Gaza.

Throughout the war, images and videos of injured animals caught up in Israel’s bombardment have been shared on social media and triggered outpourings of concern. Disturbing images have also emerged of hungry animals feeding off corpses of people killed in Israeli strikes.

The northern areas of Gaza have been cut off from water and food deliveries for weeks, with 300,000 people believed to be living there in desperate conditions following months of a brutal ground and air offensive by Israeli forces.

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN Palestinian agency UNRWA, said in a post on X that the UN has identified “deep pockets of starvation and hunger in northern Gaza where people are believed to be on the verge of famine.”