Thousands Flee Gaza City Amid Escalating Israeli Military Operations

Thousands of Palestinians continue to flee Gaza City following Israel’s announcement of a major ground offensive aimed at taking control of the area.

After a night of intense airstrikes, Gaza’s health ministry operated by Hamas reported that al-Rantisi children’s hospital was hit in three separate incidents. As a result, around half of its patients and their families were forced to evacuate.

The Israeli military stated it was reviewing the reports. Earlier, it had said its forces had struck more than 150 “terror targets” across Gaza City over the past two days.

Israel claims its objective is to eliminate up to 3,000 Hamas fighters in what it describes as the group’s “last stronghold” and to secure the release of hostages.
However, the military campaign has sparked widespread global criticism.

More than 20 humanitarian organizations have urged global leaders to intervene, saying “the inhumanity of the situation in Gaza is unconscionable” and calling for “urgent intervention”.

For days, large numbers of Palestinians have been fleeing south from Gaza City using donkey carts, rickshaws, overloaded vehicles, and on foot.

Until recently, they were restricted to a single coastal route leading to a so-called “humanitarian area” designated by Israel in al-Mawasi.

But on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced it would open a second evacuation corridor along Salah al-Din road, stating it would be accessible for 48 hours starting from 12:00 local time (10:00 BST).

Despite this, many Palestinians say the high costs of travel have made it nearly impossible to flee. Some report that renting a small truck now costs around 3,000 shekels ($900; £660), while a tent for five can cost as much as 4,000 shekels.

Lina al-Maghrebi, a 32-year-old mother of three from the Sheikh Radwan area, told the BBC: “I was forced to sell my jewellery to cover the cost of displacement and a tent.”

“It took us 10 hours to reach Khan Younis, and we paid 3,500 shekels for the ride. The line of cars and trucks seemed endless.”

Humanitarian groups and UN agencies warn that the “humanitarian area” is severely overcrowded and incapable of supporting the approximately 2 million Palestinians expected to arrive there.

Some evacuees report returning north after finding no available space to set up tents.

According to the IDF, around 350,000 people have left Gaza City. However, the UN estimates 190,000 have evacuated since August, with around 650,000 residents still in the city.

As part of its ongoing operations, the IDF is reportedly deploying outdated military vehicles packed with explosives and fitted for remote control. These are being driven toward Hamas targets and detonated, Israeli media reports.

Meanwhile, families of the 48 hostages still believed to be held by Hamas including 20 thought to be alive, demonstrated near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem on Tuesday and Wednesday. They voiced concerns that the offensive could jeopardize the lives of their relatives.

“All day long, you boast about killing and destruction,” said Macabit Mayer, whose niece and nephew, Gali and Ziv Berman, are among the hostages. “Bringing down buildings in Gaza – who are you bringing these buildings down on?”

“Could it be that you are bringing these buildings down right now on Gali and Ziv and all the souls left there – the living and the deceased?”

The international backlash against Israel’s actions has continued, with UN human rights chief Volker Türk calling the offensive “totally and utterly unacceptable,” and UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper labeling it “utterly reckless and appalling.”

In contrast, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled tentative support for Israel’s campaign during a joint press event with Netanyahu on Monday. While emphasizing a preference for a negotiated resolution, he stated that “sometimes when you’re dealing with a group of savages like Hamas, that’s not possible”.

This came shortly after a United Nations Commission of Inquiry determined that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

The report concluded that Israeli forces had carried out sexual and gender-based violence, intentionally targeted children with lethal force, and launched a “systemic and widespread attack” on religious, cultural, and educational institutions.

In response, Israel’s foreign ministry rejected the findings, calling the report “distorted and false”.

The conflict was triggered by the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, during which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

Since then, Israeli operations in Gaza have resulted in at least 64,964 deaths, nearly half of them women and children, according to the health ministry in Gaza.

As famine has already been declared in Gaza City by a UN-backed food security body, the United Nations warns that the latest escalation could plunge civilians into “even deeper catastrophe”.

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