At least 49 Palestinians were killed on Monday after fresh Israeli military operations tore through central and southern Gaza.
The Israeli military pushed into Deir el-Balah for the first time since the war began in October 2023. Tanks, airstrikes, and gunfire hit homes, schools, and mosques, leaving more bodies and broken buildings behind.
“We did not manage to sleep last night,” said Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum. “The entire city is under Israeli attack.”
More than 59,000 Palestinians have died since the war started, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Thousands more are missing, feared trapped under rubble.
Thousands Flee as Deir el-Balah Burns
Sunday night, Israeli forces dropped leaflets and warnings ordering civilians to leave Deir el-Balah. By Monday morning, tanks had rolled in.
“There has been an ongoing Israeli bombardment. Israeli jets, tanks, and naval gunboats continue to strike multiple residential areas,” Abu Azzoum said.
Donkey carts, bicycles, and battered cars carried desperate families west toward the coast or south to Khan Younis.
Three mosques and at least four neighbourhood blocks were destroyed.
In Khan Younis, a single airstrike on a family tent killed a couple and their two children. Five more people were killed in Jabalia al-Balad in northern Gaza.
Drone strikes in Gaza City also left dozens wounded. “We’re receiving continuous casualties,” a doctor at al-Shifa Hospital told Al Jazeera Arabic.
Hunger Tightens Its Grip on Gaza
On Sunday, Gaza’s Health Ministry confirmed that 134 people were killed in just 24 hours. That same day, at least 19 Palestinians starved to death.
Antoine Renard of the World Food Programme said hunger is now a deadlier weapon than bullets. “You have a level of despair that people are ready to risk their lives just to reach any of the assistance,” he warned.
UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, echoed the concern. “The suffering in Gaza is manmade and must be stopped. Lift the siege and let aid in safely and at scale,” the agency posted on X.
Over 900,000 children in Gaza now face severe malnutrition, said Amjad Shawa, who leads the Palestinian NGO Network.
For more facts and humanitarian data, visit the World Food Programme or UN OCHA.
Global Condemnation Mounts
Twenty-five countries, including Canada, Australia, Japan, and many in Europe, issued a strong joint statement on Monday.
“The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths,” they said. “The Israeli government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable.”
“Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law,” the ministers added, calling for the war to end now.
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