Thousands of Palestinians are continuing to flee Gaza City, a day after Israel said it had begun a major ground offensive aimed at occupying the city. Amid large-scale bombing overnight, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry reported that al-Ranitisi children's hospital was targeted in three separate attacks, forcing half of its patients and their families to flee. The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports. Earlier, it announced that it had struck more than 150 'terror targets' across Gaza City in two days.
Israel says its aim is to defeat up to 3,000 Hamas fighters in what it describes as the group's 'last stronghold' and free its hostages. However, the offensive has drawn widespread international condemnation. The heads of more than 20 aid agencies have called on world leaders to act, stating that 'the inhumanity of the situation in Gaza is unconscionable' and calling for 'urgent intervention'.
For days, large groups of Palestinians have flowed southward from Gaza City using donkey carts, rickshaws, vehicles loaded with their belongings, and traveling on foot, as they attempt to reach an Israel-designated 'humanitarian area' in al-Mawasi. The IDF announced it would open a second route for evacuation down the central Salah al-Din road, available for 48 hours from midday local time.
Many Palestinians, however, report being unable to afford the journey, with the costs of renting vehicles skyrocketing. Lina al-Maghrebi, a mother of three, shared her struggles, revealing she had to sell her jewelry to afford a tent and transportation, emphasizing the dire economic conditions exacerbated by the ongoing conflict.
Despite the military's claims of establishing a temporary safe zone, many evacuees found the area overcrowded and unsuitable, forcing them to return north. According to the IDF, around 350,000 people have fled Gaza City, while the UN estimates 190,000 had evacuated since August, with many still trapped in the city.
The situation has become increasingly dire with reports indicating that at least 64,964 people have been killed by Israeli forces since the attacks began. The UN warns that further intensification of the offensive will only exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is already teetering on the edge of catastrophe.
Israel says its aim is to defeat up to 3,000 Hamas fighters in what it describes as the group's 'last stronghold' and free its hostages. However, the offensive has drawn widespread international condemnation. The heads of more than 20 aid agencies have called on world leaders to act, stating that 'the inhumanity of the situation in Gaza is unconscionable' and calling for 'urgent intervention'.
For days, large groups of Palestinians have flowed southward from Gaza City using donkey carts, rickshaws, vehicles loaded with their belongings, and traveling on foot, as they attempt to reach an Israel-designated 'humanitarian area' in al-Mawasi. The IDF announced it would open a second route for evacuation down the central Salah al-Din road, available for 48 hours from midday local time.
Many Palestinians, however, report being unable to afford the journey, with the costs of renting vehicles skyrocketing. Lina al-Maghrebi, a mother of three, shared her struggles, revealing she had to sell her jewelry to afford a tent and transportation, emphasizing the dire economic conditions exacerbated by the ongoing conflict.
Despite the military's claims of establishing a temporary safe zone, many evacuees found the area overcrowded and unsuitable, forcing them to return north. According to the IDF, around 350,000 people have fled Gaza City, while the UN estimates 190,000 had evacuated since August, with many still trapped in the city.
The situation has become increasingly dire with reports indicating that at least 64,964 people have been killed by Israeli forces since the attacks began. The UN warns that further intensification of the offensive will only exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is already teetering on the edge of catastrophe.
