According to the United Nations, they have all squeezed into an area that is less than one-third of Gaza’s territory, and many have recounted deadly strikes in areas they were told would be safe.
The United Nations has opposed the establishment of so-called safe zones in the enclave, stating that no one party to a war can unilaterally declare places completely safe for civilians. U.N. officials warned that trying to establish such zones in Gaza could lead to “unacceptable harm for civilians, including large-scale loss of life.”
U.N. officials have advised that civilians should take shelter in buildings such as schools and hospitals, which are protected under international law, and that Israel should refrain from striking such places. Israel has accused Hamas of using schools, hospitals, and other civilian structures to conceal their command centers.
The Israeli military has stated that over the past few days, its forces have been engaged in close-quarters combat, killing “dozens” of armed Hamas operatives. They have also discovered and destroyed weapons and underground infrastructure, which were primarily located inside and near civilian buildings. The military has also targeted rocket launchers and tunnel shafts, including one found inside a school in Shejaiya, in northern Gaza.
Independent verification of Israel’s account is not possible.
On Thursday, the Israeli military announced that it had apprehended hundreds of people suspected of terrorism, including wanted Hamas operatives, across the Gaza Strip in a single day. Many of them have surrendered and been transferred to Israel for further questioning.
In response to Hamas attacks on October 7, Israeli officials claim that about 1,200 people in Israel were killed. In retaliation, Israel launched a heavy bombardment in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of over 15,000 people, according to health officials there.
Officials state that nearly 100 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the Hamas attacks. On Thursday, Israeli leaders expressed condolences to Gadi Eisenkot, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet, whose son, Master Sgt. Gal Meir Eisenkot, 25, was killed in combat in Jabaliya, according to the military.
Amid growing concerns about the dire conditions for civilians in the enclave, the Israeli government announced that it would allow “a minimal supplement of fuel” into southern Gaza in order to prevent a humanitarian collapse and the outbreak of epidemics. The government did not specify the quantity of fuel or the timeframe for the supplies to be allowed in.