In a further escalation of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, Israel initiated a heavy bombardment in northern Gaza while also intensifying its ground assault, leading to heightened international calls for the protection of civilian lives.
Palestinian residents in the northern region of Gaza reported intense air and artillery strikes in the early hours of Monday. These attacks were accompanied by the advance of Israeli troops, supported by tanks, into the enclave. The ground assault has triggered renewed calls from the international community to ensure the safety of Palestinian civilians.
Israel's military confirmed that it had targeted more than 600 militant sites over the past few days and continued to expand its ground operations in Gaza. The conflict has now entered its fourth week, with a pressing need for essential supplies like fuel, food, and clean water for the Palestinian civilian population. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement reporting the elimination of dozens of terrorists who had barricaded themselves in buildings and tunnels and attempted to engage IDF troops.
During this phase of the conflict, Israeli airstrikes hit areas in proximity to Gaza's Shifa and Al-Quds hospitals. Palestinian militants engaged in clashes with Israeli forces in a border area to the east of Khan Younis in the southern part of Gaza, as reported by Palestinian media. Hamas did not issue an immediate response, and Reuters was unable to independently verify the reports.
These bombardments came shortly after Israel released images showcasing battle tanks positioned on the west coast of Gaza, suggesting a potential attempt to encircle the main city within Gaza. This move followed the Israeli government's directive for expanded ground incursions. Some images circulated online appeared to depict Israeli soldiers waving an Israeli flag deep within Gaza, although Reuters was unable to authenticate these images. The "second phase" of Israel's three-week campaign against Iranian-backed Hamas militants has been mostly conducted in secrecy, with operations occurring under the cover of darkness and a telecommunications blackout impeding Palestinian communications.
On Sunday, there was a slight easing of phone and internet disruptions; however, Paltel, a telecom provider, reported that Israeli airstrikes had once again disrupted internet and phone services in parts of northern Gaza. These outages have had a severe impact on rescue operations for casualties caused by Israeli bombardments.
The reported strikes near hospitals happened after the Palestinian Red Crescent received warnings from Israeli authorities to immediately evacuate Al-Quds Hospital, which had provided shelter for approximately 14,000 people. Israel has accused Hamas of using Gaza hospitals for command centers and other military infrastructure, an accusation that Hamas denies.
According to Palestinian officials, approximately 50,000 people have sought refuge in Al-Shifa Hospital, and they expressed concerns regarding Israeli threats against the facility. Israel has tightened its blockade and bombardment of Gaza since Hamas militants crossed into Israel on October 7th. Israeli authorities allege that these militants were responsible for killing around 1,400 people and taking at least 239 hostages.
In addition to its actions in Gaza, Israel has increased its operations against Islamist groups in the West Bank, resulting in the deaths of numerous Palestinians and the arrest of hundreds. Early on Monday, Israeli security forces killed four individuals during a raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
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