Gaza City Under Siege: Residents Flee Intense Shelling as IDF Offensive Advances
Gaza City Under Siege: Residents Flee Intense Shelling as IDF Offensive Advances
Palestinian families are evacuating Gaza City after reporting a night of heavy Israeli shelling on its outskirts, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) gears up for a renewed offensive in the area. Residents described continuous aerial and tank shelling overnight and into Tuesday across eastern Gaza City suburbs, including Sabra, Shejaiya, and Tuffah, as well as Jabalia to the north, causing widespread destruction.
Hamas-run health authorities report at least 34 people killed in Israeli strikes overnight and on Tuesday, with 18 fatalities concentrated around Gaza City. These figures remain unverified and do not differentiate between combatants and civilians. The IDF states its operations aim to locate weapons and destroy terrorist tunnels.
The escalating conflict coincides with a scheduled security cabinet meeting on Tuesday afternoon to discuss Gaza and efforts toward a hostage deal. Nationwide protests are also calling for a comprehensive resolution to the war and the release of all hostages abducted during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre.
A severe humanitarian crisis continues to worsen. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported on Monday that 11 more people died from malnutrition and starvation in the preceding 24 hours, bringing the total to 300 since the war began. Approximately 5,000 people have been displaced from northern Gaza to the central and southern Strip since August 20, with another 8,000 displaced to west Gaza City, contributing to over 800,000 new displacements since mid-March.
UN partners have also reported attacks on several education facilities used as shelters last week. Dujarric claimed Israeli authorities continue to impede humanitarian aid delivery, denying or obstructing eight of 15 UN missions in the last 24 hours. Israel dismisses starvation reports as Hamas propaganda but has implemented measures, including airdrops and humanitarian pauses, and recently allowed private sector goods into Gaza for the first time in nearly a year.
Amidst the escalating offensive, clergy and nuns from Greek Orthodox and Catholic churches in Gaza City have declared they will not evacuate, choosing instead to remain within their compounds to care for vulnerable individuals unable to flee, including the elderly, women, children, and disabled Gazans. They cite severe malnutrition and the dangers of attempting to flee as reasons, stating that leaving would be “nothing less than a death sentence.”
Meanwhile, the IDF released footage of two Hamas tunnels destroyed in the central Gaza Strip as part of a month-long operation, claiming dozens of Hamas fighters killed and terror infrastructure dismantled. This ongoing conflict began on October 7, 2023. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry claims over 62,000 killed or presumed dead, while Israel states it has killed over 22,000 combatants since August, emphasizing Hamas’s use of human shields.
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