Thursday night, Israeli forces targeted Rafah in southern Gaza, deepening fear in one of the last havens for displaced civilians.UN officials confirm Gaza lacks safe havens. Intense conflict around Khan Younis displaces tens of thousands, exacerbating a dire humanitarian crisis.After two months of relentless conflict, the ongoing offensive sparks global concern. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres activates powers, warning of an impending "humanitarian catastrophe" to the Security Council, urging a demand for a cease-fire.
The United States urges Israel to minimize civilian casualties and displacement while expressing concern over the extensive destruction in Gaza City and the north. Despite the call for restraint, the U.S. affirms steadfast support for Israel, indicating a probable blockade of any UN initiative to cease the conflict.
Israel asserts the need to eliminate Hamas' military capabilities and oust it from power since the Oct. 7 attack. Troops target Khan Younis, previously considered Hamas' center, shifting from earlier claims about Gaza City and Shifa Hospital.
Ordering evacuation of about two dozen southern neighborhoods, Israel, unlike the north, displays heightened civilian concern, emphasizing a targeted approach for safety.
Safe havens for Palestinians diminish as northern and central Gaza become isolated, aid cut off. Many head south to Rafah and Egypt's border, facing overcrowded homes and makeshift shelters.Even in those areas, safety remains elusive as Israel persists in striking what it claims to be Hamas targets across the coastal enclave.
Wednesday's late strike razed a Rafah home, flooding a nearby hospital with wounded. Eyewitness Eyad al-Hobi reported around 20 casualties, including women and children. Another house was hit early Thursday, residents said.Dalia Abu Samhadaneh, residing in Rafah after fleeing Khan Younis, expresses constant fear for her family. "We live with the anxiety of expulsion," she shares.
The military accuses militants of firing rockets from open areas near Rafah in the humanitarian zone. Footage released shows a strike on launchers outside the town, mere yards from a U.N. warehouse, on Wednesday.
BATTLES IN NORTH AND SOUTH
Over 80% of Gaza's population, 1.87 million people, have fled their homes, with many experiencing multiple displacements, according to the U.N.
Israel's campaign in Gaza has claimed over 16,200 lives, with the majority being women and children. The Health Ministry reports over 42,000 wounded, acknowledging many trapped under rubble. No distinction is made between civilian and combatant deaths.In a 24-hour span, Doctors Without Borders reports an additional 115 bodies at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, underscoring the escalating toll.
"The hospital is full, the morgue is full," the group conveyed on X, formerly known as Twitter, emphasizing the overwhelming challenges faced in dealing with the escalating crisis.
On Thursday, the military reported striking numerous militant targets in Khan Younis, including a tunnel shaft used for launching attacks. The operation resulted in the death of two attackers, according to official statements.
In the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas and other militants killed approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, triggering the war. They also took around 240 people hostage. Currently, an estimated 138 hostages, predominantly soldiers and civilian men, remain in Gaza after 105 were freed during a late November cease-fire.A built-up refugee camp inside Khan Younis served as the childhood home for key Hamas leaders, including Gaza's top leader, Yehya Sinwar, and the group's military chief, Mohammed Deif. However, their current whereabouts are unknown.
In the Jabaliya refugee camp, heavy fighting persists despite two months of intense bombardment and encirclement by ground troops. The military reported a raid on a militant compound, resulting in the killing of "a number" of fighters and the discovery of a network of tunnels.
Verification of the latest reports from the battlefield was not immediately possible.
Israel attributes the high civilian death toll to Hamas, alleging the use of civilians as human shields in residential areas. Israel, however, hasn't provided detailed accounts of specific strikes, some of which have devastated entire city blocks. The military reports 87 soldiers killed in the Gaza ground offensive and claims approximately 5,000 militants have been killed, without disclosing the methodology behind the count.
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS WORSENS
Tens of thousands have fled Khan Younis to Rafah on Gaza's southern border with Egypt, where over 470,000 displaced now strain its normal population of 280,000. Egypt fortifies its border to prevent a mass influx, citing concerns about its peace treaty with Israel and doubts about return to Gaza. Aid distribution is limited to Rafah due to fighting, with a focus on basic supplies like flour and water. The World Food Program warns of a looming "catastrophic hunger crisis" that could overwhelm the civilian population.
Since the war's first week, Gaza lacks electricity, forcing hospitals and water plants to close due to fuel shortages. Israel permits limited aid but restricts fuel imports, citing concerns about Hamas diversion. Prime Minister Netanyahu announced sporadic, minimal fuel deliveries to the southern Gaza Strip, determined by the war cabinet, aiming to prevent disease spread.
