Further strikes were initiated by Israel throughout Gaza on Sunday, implying that the military is moving forward with its plans for a terrestrial clash. This comes following an augmentation of the evacuation decree for Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city. Two medics reportedly lost their lives on Sunday in Deir al-Balah, a city in central Gaza. Frequent skirmishes and heavy gunshots from Israeli helicopters in northern Gaza City were reported by Agence France-Presse.
The past Saturday witnessed an exodus of approximately 100,000 Palestinians from Rafah. According to data collected by UN officers, the number has now escalated to over 280,000. Almost no assistance is getting through to the south and central regions of Gaza, owing to the sealing of the Rafah border passage to Egypt, the challenges of approaching the Kerem Shalom crossing due to the conflict, scarcity of fuel causing transport issues, and the departure of essential personnel.
The only source of nutrition and health care for a substantial portion of the city’s inhabitants for several months has been humanitarian societies. However, they are currently closing down their services. The UN’s Palestinian refugee agency, Unrwa, defined the coerced migration of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the city of Rafah as “inhumane”. The agency, which has assisted Palestinian territories since the 1950s, commented that civilians seeking refuge and safety in the enclave have nowhere safe left to go.
UN secretary-general, António Guterres, has reiterated his request for a prompt ceasefire in the ongoing war in Gaza, Israel. However, he noted that even after the cessation of combat, recovering from the wreckage of the conflict will be a prolonged process. In a video speech at an international benefactors’ meeting in Kuwait, Mr Guterres repeated the global plea for an instant humanitarian ceasefire, unconditional liberation of all captives, and an immediate spike in humanitarian relief.
On Saturday, thousands of Israelis rioted in their streets, urging Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s administration to intensify efforts to secure the liberation of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza Strip.
News from Reuters has come in that a significant artery in the city was obstructed by demonstrators, prior to law enforcement personnel intervening. They employed water cannons to scatter the assembly, resulting in at least three individuals being apprehended. Alongside these protestors in Tel Aviv were relatives of the hostages currently held captive, visible reminders of their detained family members in hand, becoming part of the throng according to The Guardian.