Gaza Civil Defence Reports 15 Killed in Israeli Strikes

Gaza’s Civil Defence agency has confirmed that Israeli airstrikes killed at least 15 people in the Palestinian territory on Tuesday. This comes as Israel expanded its ground operations to the central city of Deir el-Balah, escalating the violence in a region already enduring 21 months of conflict.

Israeli Strikes on Al-Shati Camp

Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defence, reported that Israeli airstrikes targeted the Al-Shati refugee camp, located to the west of Gaza City, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 50 others. Al-Shati, which is situated along the Mediterranean coast, has become a refuge for thousands of displaced individuals from the north, who are living in tents and makeshift shelters.

Impact on Al-Shati Camp:

Raed Bakr, a 30-year-old father of three, lives in one of the tents at Al-Shati camp. He recalled hearing “a massive explosion” around 1:40 AM local time (2240 GMT on Monday), which destroyed their tent and scattered debris all around them.

“I felt like I was in a nightmare. Fire, dust, smoke, and body parts flying through the air—dirt everywhere. The children were screaming,” Bakr, whose wife was killed in the conflict last year, told AFP.

Due to severe fuel shortages, private cars were unable to transport the wounded. Bakr explained, “There were no vehicles or even donkey carts. Neighbours had to carry the wounded on foot.”

A Night of Terror

Muhannad Thabet, 33, who also lives at the Al-Shati camp, described Tuesday night as “a night of terror” due to the “non-stop airstrikes and explosions.” Thabet, who helped carry a six-year-old child to the Shifa hospital for treatment, described how the hospital, once one of Gaza’s largest medical centres, was overwhelmed with casualties.

Shifa Hospital Conditions:

Escalation in Deir el-Balah

The Civil Defence agency also reported that two additional casualties were confirmed in the city of Deir el-Balah, located in central Gaza. This area has recently come under increased military pressure, with the Israeli army announcing an expansion of its ground operations there. The Israeli military has ordered evacuations for much of the population in Deir el-Balah, a move that has caused widespread concern.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that between 50,000 and 80,000 people were residing in Deir el-Balah, many of whom had considered the area to be relatively safe until now. Around 30,000 of these people were living in displacement camps.

OCHA also reported that nearly 88% of the entire Gaza Strip is now either under evacuation orders or has been designated as a militarised zone by the Israeli military. This leaves Gaza’s population of 2.4 million people with an ever-decreasing area of safety and shelter.

Current Situation in Deir el-Balah:

Plumes of Smoke and Surveillance Drones

AFP footage from the central Gaza region on Tuesday showed large plumes of smoke rising over Deir el-Balah as Israeli military drones flew overhead. The sight of smoke billowing into the sky was a stark reminder of the ongoing violence that has claimed countless lives and left many others in dire need of assistance.

As the conflict continues to escalate, humanitarian agencies are facing significant challenges in providing aid to the region, as both civilians and medical facilities struggle to cope with the overwhelming impact of the airstrikes.

In this increasingly dire situation, the civilian population of Gaza finds itself trapped in an ever-shrinking space, with few places left to flee as Israeli operations expand throughout the territory.