Israel and Hamas have announced that no ceasefire has been agreed upon in southern Gaza, as the region endures another night of heavy Israeli bombing. Hopes for a brief ceasefire that would allow foreign passport holders to leave Gaza and for aid to be brought in were dashed on Monday, as Israeli bombardments intensified ahead of an expected ground invasion.
Residents in Hamas-ruled Gaza reported that the overnight strikes were the heaviest yet in the nine days of conflict. Many houses were destroyed, and the death toll continued to rise. Diplomatic efforts have been underway to deliver aid to the besieged enclave, which has been facing relentless Israeli bombing since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants that resulted in the death of 1,300 people in a single day – the bloodiest in Israel’s history.
Israel has imposed a full blockade on Gaza and is preparing for a ground invasion to dismantle Hamas. Despite the brief cross-border assault by Israel, Hamas has continued to fire rockets at the country. Israeli troops and tanks have already amassed on the border.
Authorities in Gaza have reported that at least 2,750 people have been killed by Israeli strikes, with a quarter of them being children. Additionally, nearly 10,000 people have been wounded, and approximately 1,000 are believed to be missing under the rubble. The situation has further deteriorated with food, fuel, and water running out.
Several countries have sent hundreds of tons of aid to Egypt, awaiting a deal for its safe delivery to Gaza and the evacuation of foreign passport holders through the Rafah border crossing. Earlier on Monday, Egyptian security sources indicated that an agreement had been reached to open the crossing for aid. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office refuted this, stating that there is currently no truce or humanitarian aid being provided in exchange for the evacuation of foreigners.
Hamas also denied the reports about the opening of the crossing or a temporary ceasefire. Egypt stated that the crossing has remained open from their side but has been rendered inoperable due to Israeli bombings. The situation at the Rafah crossing remains uncertain, with a small crowd gathering there, hoping to enter Egypt.
The United States has advised its citizens in Gaza to go near the crossing so they can leave if possible. The U.S. government estimates that there are 500 to 600 dual-citizen Palestinian-Americans in Gaza. Additionally, Washington is working to secure the release of 155 hostages, including Americans, who Israel claims were taken by Hamas back into Gaza.
U.S. President Joe Biden has emphasized the urgent need to provide humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in calls with Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. He has also urged Israel to adhere to the rules of war in its response to Hamas attacks.
As the conflict continues, Israeli aircraft bombed areas around Gaza City’s Al-Quds hospital, hindering the movement of ambulances. Fuel reserves at all hospitals in the Gaza Strip are expected to last for only about 24 more hours, jeopardizing the lives of thousands of patients. Israeli planes also targeted the headquarters of the Civil Emergency and Ambulance Service, killing five people and crippling rescue services.
The impact of the bombings is far-reaching, with displaced people now accounting for almost half of Gaza’s total population. The United Nations agency UNWRA is struggling to meet their needs. Access to clean drinking water has become severely limited, with people resorting to consuming brackish water from agricultural wells, raising concerns about the spread of waterborne diseases. Gaza has also been without electricity for the fifth consecutive day, pushing vital services, including healthcare, water, and sanitation, to the brink of collapse, exacerbating food insecurity.