On Sunday, Israeli forces escalated their bombardment of the Gaza Strip, leading to the deaths of at least 23 Palestinians, with the majority killed in northern areas where Israel has focused a prolonged military campaign aimed at preventing Hamas from reorganizing, according to Palestinian medical sources.
The increased air and ground offensives come amid accusations from Palestinian officials who describe the forced evacuations of two northern Gaza towns and a nearby camp as “ethnic cleansing.” Israel has denied these accusations, asserting that its operations are targeting Hamas militants who launch attacks from those areas. Medical personnel reported that 13 people were killed in separate strikes on residential areas in Beit Lahiya and Jabalia, the largest of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps and the latest focal point in Israel’s month-long military operation. Other deaths were reported in separate air strikes in Gaza City and the southern regions of the enclave.
The Israeli military, in a statement released Saturday, indicated that a new division has been deployed to reinforce operations in Jabalia, joining two battalions already on the ground. The military claims that hundreds of Hamas militants have been killed since the offensive commenced on October 5.
In a related development, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Israel’s agency for Palestinian civilian affairs, announced that it had helped launch a second round of polio vaccinations in northern Gaza on Saturday, reaching over 58,000 children so far. However, the Gaza health ministry reported that ongoing military activities are disrupting vaccination efforts for thousands of children in Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanoun. One clinic reportedly came under Israeli fire while children were present for vaccinations, resulting in injuries to four children.
The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement condemning the attack on the clinic, emphasizing that the incident occurred during a humanitarian pause agreed upon by both sides to facilitate the vaccination campaign. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus underscored the importance of respecting these pauses to protect health services for children. “These vital humanitarian-area-specific pauses must be absolutely respected. Ceasefire!” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The Israeli military has not commented on the WHO’s statement or Tedros’ call for a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, efforts to secure a broader ceasefire remain stalled as Hamas and Israeli officials have yet to reach an agreement. Hamas is pushing for a permanent end to the war, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that military action will continue until Hamas is dismantled.
The conflict, which erupted after a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7 that resulted in 1,200 Israeli fatalities and the abduction of 251 hostages, has led to devastating repercussions. According to local reports, more than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed, and the majority of Gaza has suffered extensive damage in retaliatory strikes.
