Israeli forces have intensified their ground offensive in Gaza City, pushing deeper into residential districts and triggering mass evacuations. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say the operation aims to dismantle Hamas’s military infrastructure and secure the release of hostages.
- Scale of displacement: More than 400,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City, but an estimated 600,000 remain trapped amid heavy bombardment. Witnesses report entire neighborhoods being destroyed by airstrikes, drone attacks, and remote-controlled explosives.
- Casualties: Since the war began in October 2023, at least 65,141 Palestinians have been killed and 165,925 injured, according to Gaza health authorities. Thousands more are believed buried under rubble. Israel’s death toll from the October 7 attacks stands at 1,139, with about 200 people taken hostage.
- Humanitarian crisis: The UN and aid agencies warn of catastrophic shortages of food, fuel, and shelter. The UNRWA says shelter supplies have been blocked for months, and overcrowding is extreme.
- International reaction: A UN Security Council resolution calling for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent” ceasefire was backed by 14 of 15 members but vetoed by the United States, which said the text failed to condemn Hamas or affirm Israel’s right to self-defense.
- Regional tensions: In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces reportedly beat a doctor and a journalist during raids near Jenin. In southern Israel, a Houthi drone struck a hotel in Eilat, causing a fire but no casualties.
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