Israel intensifies offensive in Gaza, targets central, southern areas
In a significant escalation of its military campaign against Hamas, Israel launched extensive airstrikes across central and southern Gaza. The expanded offensive reached areas previously designated as shelters for Palestinians, prompting widespread concern.
Reports from residents described intense bombing in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, as well as in the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah. Tens of thousands sought refuge in these areas following the destruction of much of northern Gaza. The situation in the Bureij camp was particularly dire, with residents describing it as a night of unprecedented bombing.
The Israeli military’s actions raised fears of further devastation in Khan Younis, where ground operations began in early December, and in central Gaza’s refugee camps, which have become the new focus of the conflict.
Evacuation orders were issued for a central Gaza area that once housed nearly 90,000 people and now shelters over 61,000 displaced individuals, primarily from the north, according to the U.N. humanitarian office.
Israel asserts that its airstrikes and ground offensive are necessary to dismantle Hamas and prevent a recurrence of the October 7 attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that achieving these goals would take “many months.”
Despite international calls for a ceasefire and U.S. appeals to minimize civilian casualties, Netanyahu emphasized the deepening of the conflict, vowing to reach Hamas terrorists.
The ongoing offensive has already resulted in one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history, with over 21,100 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, killed. In the past 24 hours alone, nearly 200 lives were lost, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza.
With approximately 85% of Gaza’s population displaced and facing worsening conditions due to Israel’s siege, the situation has drawn comparisons to the mass displacement in 1948 known as the Nakba, or catastrophe.
Efforts to address the humanitarian crisis have faced significant challenges, with U.N. officials reporting a quarter of the population in Gaza experiencing starvation under the siege.
The conflict has also spilled over into other regions, with exchanges of fire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah along the border. Additionally, a raid on a refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank resulted in at least six Palestinian fatalities.
As the violence persists, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas characterized the war as “beyond a catastrophe,” accusing Prime Minister Netanyahu of a plan “to get rid of the Palestinians.” The situation remains tense, with ongoing clashes in the West Bank contributing to a total of at least 310 Palestinian deaths since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.
