Israeli Troops Push Deeper into Gaza as Airstrikes Hit Closer to Hospitals
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli troops and armor have expanded their operations in northern and central Gaza, prompting concern from the U.N. and medical staff as airstrikes come dangerously close to hospitals where Palestinians sought shelter. The escalating violence has led to a surge in casualties on both sides, with the death toll among Palestinians surpassing 8,000.
Video footage obtained by the Associated Press shows an Israeli tank and bulldozer blocking Gaza’s main north-south highway, which was previously designated as an escape route for Palestinians. The video also captures a car approaching the barrier on the road, which is then fired upon by the tank, resulting in an explosion that kills three individuals, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
With Israeli forces advancing on both sides of Gaza City, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the north may be trapped if the highway is completely blocked. Around 117,000 displaced people, including patients and staff, are seeking refuge in hospitals located in northern Gaza in hopes of evading the airstrikes.
The toll of the conflict is unprecedented, with over 1.4 million people in Gaza displaced from their homes and more than 8,000 Palestinians, mostly women and minors, killed. On the Israeli side, over 1,400 people, mainly civilians, have lost their lives since the beginning of the conflict.
Israeli forces have launched strikes on more than 600 militant targets, including weapon depots and anti-tank missile launching positions, in the past few days. The military’s actions have been met with resistance from Hamas militants, who continue to fire rockets into Israel.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with the population of 2.3 million people running low on essential supplies such as food, water, medicine, and fuel. On Sunday, the largest convoy of humanitarian aid, consisting of 33 trucks, entered southern Gaza from Egypt. However, relief workers stress that the amount of aid is insufficient to meet the needs of the territory.
Israel’s siege has pushed Gaza’s infrastructure to the brink of collapse. Hospitals are struggling to maintain emergency generators to keep life-saving equipment operational. Additionally, water pumps and bakeries are being kept running by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. The U.N. has warned of growing hunger in the region.
Communications were restored to most of Gaza’s population on Sunday after experiencing over a day without phone and internet services. Meanwhile, hospitals in the north, including Shifa and Al Quds hospitals, have come under threat as airstrikes hit near their vicinity.
All 10 hospitals in northern Gaza have received evacuation orders, but staff members refuse to leave, fearing the consequences for ventilator-dependent patients. Tens of thousands of civilians are seeking shelter in Shifa Hospital, despite Israel’s allegations of Hamas operating a secret command post beneath the hospital.
As the conflict intensifies, pressure mounts on the Israeli government to secure the release of 239 hostages captured by Hamas fighters during their initial attack on October 7. Hamas has offered to release all hostages if Israel releases thousands of Palestinians currently held in its prisons. However, Israel has rejected the proposal.
The Israeli military has not labeled its ongoing operations in Gaza as an all-out invasion. Israel maintains that it targets Hamas fighters and infrastructure, asserting that militants operate among civilians, thereby putting them in danger.
The violence in Gaza has raised concerns of the conflict spreading across the region. Skirmishes between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah continue along Israel’s northern border. Additionally, clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians have resulted in four deaths in the West Bank.
In response to rockets falling in open Israeli territory, the Israeli military conducted airstrikes on military infrastructure in Syria. A total of approximately 250,000 Israelis have been evacuated from their homes due to violence along the Gaza border and the northern border with Lebanon.
Magdy reported from Cairo, with additional reporting from Keath in Athens. Associated Press writers Julia Frankel and Amy Teibel in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
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