Unstintingly, the Israeli force still maintains a firm hold over Gaza, and there is no sign of a haven.
More than 700 people have died since the cease-fire on Friday, with over 160 of the deaths occurring in residential blocks as a result of explosions. The head of the IDF, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, revealed that Israeli forces are actively engaged in both northern and southern Gaza, witnessing tanks and troops maneuvering through confined areas at the end of the week.
The relentless Israeli airstrikes over the past eight weeks have resulted in a staggering death toll exceeding 15,500, including 280 medical professionals. Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed concern that hundreds of people living in southern Gaza are stuck in limited areas and are not safe.
At least 160 Palestinians were killed in two bombings in northern Gaza on Sunday, according to UN-OCHA. The first targeted a six-story residential building in the Jabeliya refugee camp, and the second targeted an entire block in Gaza City.
Seventy-five percent of Gaza’s population, or about 1.8 million people, are currently internally displaced, with many of them taking refuge in unsafe and overcrowded shelters. Sadly, people like Muhammad, the 19-year-old son of Jumana Morad, perished during the attacks while trying to help women and children in a school tent.
The situation in southern Gaza’s hospitals has deteriorated, with the head of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressing concern over the unimaginable conditions, including treating patients on the floor. He mentioned the challenges in finding strong enough words to convey their reservations about the state of affairs.
A WHO team visiting the hospitals found overcrowded facilities, with 1,000 patients—three times their capacity—receiving treatment on the floor. Tedros wrote, “Patients, crying out in pain, were being treated on mattresses, with countless people…filling every corner, all searching for refuge.”
Food, water, and other necessities are in short supply for Gazans, according to UNRWA spokesman Adnan Abu Hasna, and the little relief that gets to them is a “drop in the ocean.”
Israeli airstrikes on Sunday targeted Gaza’s northern border, sending billowing clouds of dust and debris skyward.
The conflict has also spilled over to Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, where fighting erupted. The IDF responded to cross-border fire with attacks from artillery and airstrikes, targeting multiple Hezbollah-related objectives.
In the south, clashes between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters occurred approximately 2 kilometers from the southern city of Khan Yunis. Residents feared that ground operations by Israel were imminent, as they reported ongoing tensions in the area.
Despite evacuation orders given to Palestinians in Khan Yunis and surrounding areas, residents attempting to leave reported being caught during the attacks. Some recounted their journey from Gaza City to Al-Qarara in southern Gaza, then fleeing to a deep shelter in Khan Yunis, and now attempting to escape towards Rafah on the border with Egypt amidst ongoing bombings.