Israeli Airstrikes Claim the Lives of Over 50 in Gaza as Tank Operations Intensify in the Northern Region
The Israeli military has conducted strikes that resulted in the deaths of at least 50 Palestinians throughout Gaza, intensifying their operations around Jabalia in the northern region. This development follows ongoing and fierce confrontations with fighters affiliated with Hamas.
According to Palestinian health officials, Israeli fire claimed the lives of at least 17 individuals near Al-Falouja, which is the largest among Gaza’s eight historical refugee camps. Additionally, in a separate incident in Bani Suhaila, located in eastern Khan Younis, ten people perished when an Israeli missile hit a residential structure.
The Gaza health ministry reported the tragic loss of a doctor who was killed while attempting to aid the injured in Al-Falouja. Furthermore, several medics were injured when their ambulance came under fire from Israeli forces in both northern and southern Gaza.
In central Gaza, five more individuals died after a house was struck in the Nuseirat camp. Jabalia has become the epicenter of an Israeli military campaign for over ten days, as troops returned to places that had faced heavy shelling in the earlier months of this ongoing year-long conflict.
This military operation has sparked alarm among Palestinians and United Nations agencies. They express fears that Israel is attempting to forcibly displace civilians from northern Gaza—a claim that Israeli officials have adamantly denied. The United Nations Human Rights Office expressed concern, suggesting that the Israeli military seems to be effectively isolating northern Gaza from the rest of the enclave.
“In the midst of these relentless clashes and evacuation orders, families in northern Gaza are engulfed in unimaginable turmoil—grief over lost loved ones, confusion, and sheer exhaustion. It’s crucial that people have safe pathways to flee, free from the threat of further violence,” stated Adrian Zimmerman, the head of the ICRC sub-delegation in Gaza.
He further emphasized, “Many individuals, particularly the sick and disabled, find themselves unable to escape, and international humanitarian law insists that all possible measures must be taken to protect them. Every displaced individual has a fundamental right to return home safely.”
Recent reports from the Middle East reflect a situation that is growing increasingly dire.
Currently, the Israeli military has encircled the Jabalia camp and deployed tanks in the neighboring towns of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, with the stated objective of eradicating Hamas fighters who are regrouping in these areas. Residents have received orders to evacuate their homes, yet both Palestinian and UN officials assert that there are no safe havens left in Gaza.
Israeli authorities maintain that these evacuation directives intend to create a separation between Hamas combatants and innocent civilians, refuting any claims of a systematic approach to drive residents out of Jabalia or other northern regions.
Hamas’ military wing claims to be locked in intense firefights with Israeli forces in and around Jabalia. Zimmerman has also called for the protection of health facilities in the northern part of Gaza, stressing that hospitals are struggling to provide essential medical services to an influx of casualties.
The Gaza health ministry disclosed that the army has issued evacuation orders to the three hospitals still operating in the region. However, medical staff have expressed their commitment to continue serving the community, despite being overwhelmed by the rising casualty numbers.
In a recent statement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the staggering number of civilian casualties occurring in northern Gaza.
Home to more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants, the northern sector has seen hundreds of thousands forced to evacuate amid relentless bombardment during the initial stages of Israel’s assault. According to United Nations estimates, around 400,000 individuals remain in these dangerous conditions.
This military offensive launched by Israel followed Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and around 250 being taken hostage to Gaza, as reported by Israeli authorities. Tragically, the offensive has led to more than 42,000 Palestinian deaths so far, according to Gaza’s health authorities. The situation continues to deteriorate as both human suffering and conflict escalate in the region.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
