A United Nations official said the largest hospital in south Gaza could soon stop functioning. Credit: Reuters
UN says nowhere is safe, warns of ‘even more hellish’ scenario in Gaza
As Israeli forces keep advancing in the south of Gaza, the United Nations has warned that “an even more hellish scenario is about to unfold,” reports BBC.
Humanitarian operations may not be able to respond, according to one UN representative. Since the fighting resumed last Friday, the Israeli military has been dropping leaflets with QR codes it says “open a map guiding Gazans to safer areas”.
But another UN official dismissed the idea, saying that electricity and communications cuts mean many Palestinians won’t have access to them.
There was another phone network blackout last night, the main Palestinian service provider said.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military leaders say their objectives in northern Gaza have almost been achieved. On Tuesday, the military said it was moving deeper into Jabalia refugee camp, where it said it had destroyed “Hamas strongholds”, in its response to the group’s deadly 7 October attacks.
Israel forces say they’re continuing to take “aggressive” action against Hamas and other armed groups in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip.
In videos shared on social media overnight, loud thuds of explosions can be heard near Khan Younis, apparently from Israeli strikes and shelling.
Yesterday, witnesses in southern Gaza said Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles could be seen approaching the city from the east.
Israel’s army said the main road leading there from the north now constituted “a battlefield”.
With the war spreading, Palestinians and aid agencies warn people are running out of places to flee to.
A local UN official said it was possible an even more hellish scenario was about to unfold – one in which humanitarian operations may not be able to respond.
While about 100 lorryloads of aid have entered Gaza via the Rafah crossing on each of the past two days, deliveries across the territory are being hindered by the ongoing fighting.
Last night, the main Palestinian telecommunications firm said all phone and internet services were cut once again.
Israeli leaders say the battle for the southern Gaza Strip is well under way.
In a news conference this evening, the Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, said what had already happened to Gaza City was now happening in Khan Younis.
With US officials starting to voice disquiet about Israel’s tactics, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had words for those he said were trying to pressure Israel: the only way to finish the job quickly was to use crushing force against Hamas. That approach is once again killing large numbers of civilians and sending others fleeing for safety.
In a meeting earlier with recently released hostages and the families of those still being held by Hamas, the prime minister found himself under attack.
In a leaked recording of the meeting, one former hostage, who hasn’t been identified, accused Netanyahu of putting politics above the safe return of the remaining 138 hostages. Her outburst was greeted with applause.