Thousands of Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip are seeking refuge after Israel warned them to evacuate before an expected ground offensive against Hamas. This comes one week after the deadliest terror attack in Israeli history, in which Hamas killed over 1,300 people. Israel has launched a retaliatory bombing campaign, killing over 2,200 people in Gaza. The situation in Gaza has raised concerns for the safety of Palestinian civilians as the war intensifies and supplies of food, fuel, and medicine run low. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has accused Israel of committing “war crimes” and stopping humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. The UN Secretary-General has described the situation as “a dangerous new low”. Israel has massed ground forces and tanks around Gaza and is urging civilians to flee. The military has carried out raids to locate “missing persons” and hostages taken by Hamas. The conflict has caused tensions in the Middle East, with clashes in the occupied West Bank leading to the death of 53 Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson has placed responsibility on Hamas for the events in Gaza. The US has expressed support for Israel and sent military aid, while the Secretary of State has been attempting to maintain calm in the Arab world. Additionally, Israel faces a separate confrontation in the north with Hezbollah in Lebanon. There have been reports of cross-border violence, resulting in casualties among journalists. Israeli forces claim to have killed several “terrorists” attempting to cross the border and targeted a Hezbollah site in southern Lebanon in response to a drone crossing the border.
