Israel launched heavy strikes across central and southern Gaza overnight and into Wednesday after broadening its offensive against Hamas to more areas where the military had told Palestinians to seek shelter earlier in the war.
Residents have reported intense bombing in the densely populated Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, as well as in the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah. Tens of thousands sought refuge in these areas as much of northern Gaza has been devastated by relentless airstrikes.
Describing the situation, Rami Abu Mosab, who has been taking shelter in the Bureij camp after fleeing his home in northern Gaza, stated, “It was a night of hell. We haven’t seen such bombing since the start of the war.” The heavy bombardment has created a dire and challenging situation for the residents in these affected regions. Israel launched heavy strikes
He reported the presence of warplanes flying overhead, with sounds of gunfire and explosions emanating from the eastern part of the camp. This camp in Gaza, like others, shelters refugees from the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s establishment and their descendants. Over time, it has evolved into a densely populated neighborhood.
A nearby home close to Abu Mosab’s shelter was struck, though access to the area was restricted. Mobile phone and internet services experienced several hours of downtime before gradually being restored on Wednesday, adding to the challenges faced by rescue efforts during similar outages.
The destruction in much of northern Gaza has raised concerns among Palestinians about the fate awaiting other areas, such as Khan Younis and a cluster of refugee camps in central Gaza, which have become the focus of attention this week.
Recent evacuation orders from the military apply to a central Gaza area that originally housed nearly 90,000 people before the conflict. Now, it accommodates over 61,000 displaced individuals, primarily from the north, as reported by the U.N. humanitarian office.
Israel contends that its bombing campaign and ground offensive are necessary to dismantle Hamas and prevent a recurrence of the October 7 attack. In that incident, militants breached Israel’s defenses, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians, and around 240 abductions. A number of those abducted have been released, but an estimated 129 remain in captivity.
Despite U.S. and international calls for Israel to minimize civilian casualties and implement a Gaza cease-fire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the military is intensifying its efforts against Hamas.
The ongoing offensive is already one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history. Over 21,100 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, have lost their lives, including nearly 200 within the past 24 hours, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. The count doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.
With 85% of Gaza’s population, totaling 2.3 million Palestinians, displaced from their homes, the situation is increasingly dire. Many see parallels with the mass displacement in 1948, known as the Nakba or catastrophe.
U.N. officials report that a quarter of Gaza’s population is suffering from starvation due to Israel’s siege, which allows only a trickle of essential supplies. Despite the U.N. Security Council’s call to expedite aid deliveries, little progress has been observed.
Israel attributes the high civilian death toll in Gaza to Hamas operating in densely populated areas. The military claims to have killed thousands of militants, without presenting evidence, while reporting 164 of its soldiers killed since the start of the ground offensive.
The conflict has also sparked tensions in other parts of the Middle East, with exchanges of fire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group along the border. An Israeli strike on a family home resulted in the death of a Hezbollah fighter, his brother, and his sister-in-law, as reported by local officials and state media on Wednesday. Another family member was wounded in the incident.