The Israeli army’s assault on Gaza has escalated, with Palestinians facing increasing danger and limited options for safety. Israel has expanded its bombardment of the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians. In an attempt to minimize harm to Gaza civilians, the Israeli military announced the creation of “safe areas” on social media platform X. However, despite these claims, the number of Palestinian casualties has continued to rise since the onslaught resumed on Friday, leaving civilians uncertain of where to seek refuge.
Journalists on the ground have reported the difficulty of following the Israeli military’s orders in real-time, as there are no safe areas remaining in the enclave. On Friday, Israel published a map dividing Gaza into “evacuation zones” and instructed people to follow their announcements for their safety. However, the complex map, consisting of nearly 2,500 grids, has confused many Palestinians. Moreover, unreliable internet and electricity supply make it challenging for civilians to stay updated on the situation.
On Monday, an update was issued with three arrows pointing south, indicating a further push by the Israeli military into Gaza. This came after the Israeli military announced that its ground operation had expanded to cover the entire Gaza Strip, targeting Hamas centers. The renewed bombardment follows a seven-day pause in the fighting, which ended on Friday and allowed for the exchange of hostages between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters. However, the resumption of hostilities has led to a significant increase in casualties.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, over 15,500 people have been killed in nearly two months of warfare that began with a Hamas cross-border raid on southern Israel. The raid resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and the taking of approximately 240 hostages. The recent intense air raids have led to the deaths of over 100 Palestinians, raising the death toll in Gaza since Saturday to over 800. Additionally, Israel has intensified its attacks on the city of Khan Younis in the south, causing thousands of displaced Palestinians to flee to the city.
The dire situation in Gaza has led to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians being forced to flee their homes and becoming displaced. The Israeli military’s actions have not resulted in significant military achievements but have instead created a severe humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israeli security forces have also continued their raids in the occupied West Bank, targeting several cities and towns and making numerous arrests.
Palestinian officials have reported that at least two Palestinians were killed during an Israeli army raid in Qalqilya in the north. Israeli army radio confirmed the deaths of two “gunmen” and the injury of another individual during the raid. It is common practice for Israeli authorities to hold the bodies of Palestinians killed in such raids, with 25 bodies currently in their possession. Over 3,500 people have been arrested, the majority of whom are being held without charges. Since October 7, a total of 256 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including six prisoners who died while in Israeli custody.
The situation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank remains grim, with Palestinians facing ongoing violence and displacement. The international community is urged to take immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis and work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
