In a dramatic escalation of its three-month offensive in Gaza, Israel has issued new evacuation orders for all remaining civilians to leave the northern town of Beit Hanoun. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) deny that the campaign, which has already displaced 325,000 Palestinians and caused a devastating humanitarian crisis, is aimed at deliberately depopulating a third of the blockaded territory.
Hospitals Struggle Amid Intensifying Attacks
The dire situation in Gaza was further compounded on Sunday by reports of Israeli attacks damaging two more hospitals in Gaza City that were already grappling to provide care. Al-Wafa hospital suffered a direct hit that killed seven people, while Al-Ahli hospital had its top floor destroyed by Israeli tank fire, according to local residents.
On Friday, the IDF had forcibly evacuated Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia, leaving the cut-off northern Gaza Strip with only one small functional medical center. The World Health Organization said it would send an emergency mission to safely move patients to southern Gaza for continued treatment.
Israel Denies “Surrender or Starve” Allegations
Despite ordering the complete evacuation of Beit Hanoun and tightening its siege on northern Gaza, Israel has denied intentionally carrying out a “surrender or starve” campaign against Palestinians. The IDF claims the offensive is necessary to prevent Hamas militants from regrouping, although Israeli media suggests the government may be planning to annex the area as a military buffer zone.
Freezing Winter Conditions Compound Suffering
For the 75,000 civilians still trapped in northern Gaza and the hundreds of thousands displaced to the south, the onset of cold, wet winter weather is magnifying the unfolding humanitarian disaster. On Sunday, a 20-day-old infant became the fourth child to die of hypothermia in the central town of Deir al-Balah, where most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are struggling to survive in squalid makeshift shelters and tents.
The baby’s twin brother, Ali, was moved to the intensive care unit of Deir al-Balah’s al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, which like the rest of Gaza’s crumbling medical infrastructure is overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis and crippled by a lack of supplies.
Yehia al-Batran, father of the deceased infant
Staggering Casualty Toll and Disturbing Abuse Allegations
Over the course of Israel’s 15-month war on Gaza, at least 45,300 Palestinians have been killed, while an estimated 100 Israeli hostages remain in captivity. A forthcoming Israeli government report to the UN special rapporteur on torture is expected to detail harrowing testimonies of abuse suffered by freed hostages, including the physical, sexual, and psychological abuse of both adults and minors.
Netanyahu’s Health Raises Concerns Amid Regional Tensions
As the Gaza conflict rages, questions are also being raised about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s health after he underwent surgery to remove his prostate on Sunday. The 75-year-old leader, who is simultaneously grappling with a corruption trial and escalating regional tensions with Iran and its allies, has faced a series of medical issues in recent years, including emergency heart surgery and a hernia operation.
With no end in sight to the spiraling violence and suffering in Gaza, the international community watches anxiously to see whether Israel’s military campaign will succeed in its stated aims or only serve to further entrench the conflict and exacerbate the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe. For the Palestinians caught in the crosshairs, each day brings new dangers and despair as they struggle to survive under the weight of Israel’s relentless offensive.
