Intensified Israeli Escalation on Gaza Targets Displaced Civilians

The Gaza Strip witnessed a large-scale military escalation by Israeli occupation forces today, involving airstrikes and artillery shelling that targeted multiple areas, destroying residential buildings and shelters, particularly in the northern region.

In Beit Lahia, Israeli forces set fire to the "Zaid Bin Haritha" school, which was sheltering displaced civilians, after storming it and forcing them to evacuate, according to eyewitness accounts. Footage showed classrooms ablaze due to earlier strikes on the school.

In northern Gaza, widespread demolitions took place in the Safaoui and Jabalia areas, accompanied by heavy gunfire. Israeli forces also targeted a civilian gathering at Halabi Junction in Jabalia Town, resulting in the killing of three Palestinians and the injury of others.

In central Gaza, strikes hit Al-Da‘wa Street near Al-Nuseirat Camp, while military bulldozers carried out extensive levelling operations north of Al-Da‘wa neighbourhood. A limited advance of Israeli vehicles was also reported east of Al-Maghazi Camp under cover of artillery fire.

In the south, a drone strike targeted a civilian gathering east of Rafah, killing one Palestinian, while another lost their life in Khirbat Al-Adas due to shelling. Displaced persons' tents in the Al-Mawasi area west of Rafah were also attacked by Israeli forces.

These ongoing Israeli assaults have so far claimed the lives of five Palestinians and left others injured, in addition to causing widespread damage to infrastructure and essential facilities, further exacerbating Gaza’s deteriorating humanitarian crisis.

Since the start of the Israeli genocide on 7 October 2023, more than 150,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured, the majority of whom are women and children, with over 11,000 reported missing amid starvation and catastrophic living conditions, according to human rights reports.