Israeli Military Operations Intensify in the Gaza Strip after Truce

 

An old woman, wounded in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza

Israeli forces extended their control across most parts of the Gaza Strip on Sunday, following the termination of a week-long truce by Tel Aviv. Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi confirmed the operation, with tanks and soldiers observed in both north and south Gaza over the weekend.

The death toll from Israel's continuous bombings has now surpassed 15,500, with over 700 Palestinians reportedly killed after the truce ended. Tragically, this includes 280 medical staff, highlighting the devastating impact on essential services. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, expressed deep concern over the confinement of hundreds of thousands of Gazans into increasingly smaller areas in the southern part of the territory. He emphasized the lack of safe places in Gaza.

On Saturday, two incidents in northern Gaza led to at least 160 Palestinian deaths, with bombings targeting a six-story building in Jabalia refugee camp and an entire block in Gaza City, according to UN-OCHA. The agency estimated that approximately 1.8 million people in Gaza, roughly 75% of the population, have been displaced, often forced into overcrowded and unsanitary shelters.

Amid the chaos, heartbreaking stories emerged, such as Jumana Murad's account of her son Mohammad's death while assisting women and children in a school tent. Hospitals, particularly in southern Gaza, are overwhelmed, with patients treated on the floor in conditions described by WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as "unimaginable for the provision of health care."

A WHO team visiting Nasser hospital found it three times over capacity, with patients in agonizing pain and countless people seeking shelter. Conditions for Gazans are dire, lacking food, water, and essential supplies. Adnan Abu Hasna, a spokesman for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, emphasized that the aid reaching them is insufficient.

As the conflict intensifies, Israeli air and artillery strikes struck Gaza's northern frontier on Sunday. The Israeli military claimed to have located over 800 Hamas tunnels and destroyed about 500, stating that many were near or inside civilian structures.

Simultaneously, fighting erupted on Israel's northern border with Lebanon, prompting Israeli artillery strikes in response to cross-border fire. Fighter jets targeted Hezbollah-linked sites. In the south, Hamas reported clashes with Israeli troops near Khan Yunis, raising concerns about a potential new Israeli ground offensive.

The situation remains grim, with Gazans facing a dire humanitarian crisis amid the ongoing violence and destruction.

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