Israeli strikes kill 14 people overnight in Gaza City

In recent days, airstrikes in Gaza City have resulted in the deaths of at least 14 individuals overnight, as reported by Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military's offensive is intensifying, prompting calls for civilians to evacuate the area. Dr. Rami Mhanna, managing director of Shifa Hospital, stated that some of the casualties included six members of the same family, relatives of the hospital director, who died when a strike targeted their home. The Israeli government has been urging hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to leave Gaza City and move south to a designated humanitarian zone. Despite the opening of evacuation corridors by Israel to facilitate this exodus, many residents are reluctant to leave due to various challenges including poverty, physical weakness, and the fear of another displacement, compounding the humanitarian crisis significantly. Aid organizations warn that forced evacuations will only further deteriorate the already dire conditions for those remaining behind. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has become catastrophic, marked by widespread destruction of infrastructure and displacement affecting around 90% of the population. The United Nations has described conditions in Gaza City as famine-stricken. Furthermore, UNICEF reported that lifesaving food supplies meant for malnourished children in Gaza were stolen during a recent incident, exacerbating already critical shortages. Since the onset of hostilities following the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, the civilian death toll in Gaza has surpassed 65,100, while approximately 1,200 people in Israel have lost their lives, predominantly civilians. The Israeli military aims to dismantle Hamas's military capabilities; however, the absence of a specified timeline for the offensive raises concerns about the long-term repercussions of the ongoing violence and suffering experienced by the populace in Gaza.