Israeli forces continue bombardment of southern Gaza Strip, disregarding calls to protect civilians. US and UN express concern over rising death toll. Palestinians forced to flee areas targeted by Israeli airstrikes, despite being told they were safe zones. UN appeals to Israel to avoid worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. Fighting between Israeli soldiers and Hamas fighters intensifies in southern Gaza city. Israeli military says three soldiers killed in combat on Monday. WHO calls on Israel to protect civilians and hospitals. Over 15,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, killed in eight weeks of warfare.

Accident – death – Obituary News : Warning: This story contains distressing images.

Israeli forces continue their relentless bombardment of the southern Gaza Strip, causing widespread death and injury among Palestinian civilians. Despite repeated calls from the United States and the United Nations to protect innocent lives, Israel shows no signs of relenting. The mounting death toll has raised concerns about Israel’s commitment to civilian safety, with the United States stating that it is too early to determine if Israel is doing enough to protect its citizens.

Reports from residents and journalists on the ground suggest that Israeli airstrikes have targeted areas where people were instructed to seek shelter. This raises questions about the accuracy of Israel’s warnings and the safety of these designated zones. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed to Israel to avoid actions that worsen the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and spare civilians from further suffering. The UN spokesperson expressed alarm at the resumption of hostilities, highlighting the lack of safe spaces for people to evacuate to and the scarcity of resources for survival.

Israel’s military offensive has intensified, particularly in the southern half of Gaza. The city of Khan Younis has been heavily bombarded, leading some Palestinians to flee while others, unable to find safety, remain trapped. Israeli tanks have advanced into Gaza, cutting off main routes and declaring them as battlefields. The Israeli military reported the deaths of three soldiers on Monday during fierce clashes with Hamas fighters. Since the start of the ground invasion, 78 soldiers have lost their lives.

Israel launched its assault on Hamas in retaliation for a cross-border attack in October. According to Israeli tallies, the attack resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of 240 hostages, making it the deadliest day in Israel’s history. In the past eight weeks of warfare, the Gaza Health Ministry, under Hamas control, has reported over 15,899 Palestinian casualties, with 70% being women or children.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in Gaza (UNRWA), condemned Israel’s military operation for repeating the horrors of the past weeks. Displaced individuals are being forced to flee again, putting additional strain on hospitals and exacerbating humanitarian challenges due to limited supplies. Lazzarini emphasized that no place in Gaza is safe, regardless of so-called “safe zones” designated by Israel.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on Israel to protect civilians and essential infrastructure, including hospitals. He revealed that the WHO was ordered by the Israeli Defense Forces to remove their medical supplies from a warehouse in southern Gaza, as ground operations would render it unusable.

Approximately 80% of Gaza’s population, which amounts to 2.3 million people, have already been displaced during the two-month-long conflict. Israelis have now ordered Palestinians in Khan Younis to evacuate, directing them towards the coast and the town of Rafah, near the Egyptian border. Desperate Gazans packed their belongings and embarked on a solemn journey towards Rafah, passing through the ruins of their former homes.

In Washington, the U.S. State Department acknowledged that it was an improvement that Israel was now targeting specific areas for evacuation instead of entire cities. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reiterated the expectation that Israel would avoid attacking zones identified as “no-strike” areas in Gaza.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas has caused immense suffering, with more than 900 Palestinians killed since the truce ended on Friday. Israel accuses Hamas of endangering civilians by operating from populated areas, including tunnels that can only be destroyed by large bombs. Hamas denies these allegations.

In addition to the ongoing violence in Gaza, Israeli forces killed one Palestinian man and critically injured another in separate incidents in the West Bank. The Ramallah-based Health Ministry reported these casualties, further highlighting the widespread impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict..