Title: Thousands of Palestinians Flee Northern Gaza Amid Ongoing Israeli Onslaught
Thousands of Palestinians continued to flee south from northern Gaza on Friday, a day after the White House announced that Israel would implement four-hour “humanitarian pauses” in parts of the area to allow people to leave. The head of the IDF spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, reported that more than 100,000 residents have fled south from Gaza City during the last two days.
Conditions on the ground have continued to deteriorate during the sustained Israeli onslaught, with heavy gunfire, explosions, and the buzz of Israeli military drones heard as night fell over Gaza City on Friday. Despite the US announcement, there have been no immediate reports of a lull in fighting in northern Gaza. The Israeli military has stated that there will be “tactical, local pauses for humanitarian aid for Gazan civilians” but “no ceasefire.”
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed grave concern, stating that a child is killed every 10 minutes in Gaza. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the UN security council on Friday that Gaza’s health system is “on its knees” with half of its 36 hospitals not functioning.
International leaders have also weighed in on the situation. France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, condemned the Israeli bombing of civilians in Gaza, calling for a ceasefire and stating that there is “no justification” for the attacks. The UN’s human rights chief, Volker Türk, has called for an investigation into what he described as Israel’s “indiscriminate” bombardment and shelling in densely populated areas.
During the ongoing conflict, numerous Palestinian lives have been lost. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “far too many Palestinians have been killed” and urged Israel to take further steps to minimize civilian casualties. Meanwhile, a monitoring group has reported that each recorded fatal Israeli airstrike on Gaza since October 7 has caused an average of 10.1 civilian deaths.
The violence has also spread to the occupied West Bank, where clashes with the IDF resulted in the deaths of 19 Palestinians. Meanwhile, Israel has reported killing seven Hezbollah fighters on its northern border with Lebanon.
Efforts towards a ceasefire and humanitarian aid continue, with Israel considering a deal for Hamas to release civilian hostages held in Gaza. However, the suspension of evacuations from the Gaza Strip into Egypt for foreign passport holders and for injured Palestinians requiring urgent medical treatment may hinder relief efforts.
In London, protests have been held to commemorate the clinicians killed in Gaza and organizers are preparing for a pro-Palestine march on Armistice Day, expecting a large turnout. The situation remains volatile, with calls for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian assistance growing louder.