Gaza City is facing relentless Israeli air strikes and street battles as Israeli soldiers engage with Hamas militants. A mass exodus of tens of thousands of Palestinians is underway, desperate for safety in the besieged territory.
After over a month of continuous bombardment, the United Nations reports that hundreds of thousands are trapped in dire humanitarian conditions within urban conflict zones. These civilians lack essential supplies like food and water.
The aftermath reveals a landscape of destruction with broken palm trees, twisted road signs, and damaged lampposts, illustrating the ruin of what was once Gaza’s primary artery.
Israeli flags now fly over the remains of beach resorts in northern Gaza, while destruction overshadows any signs of human presence.
Israel initiated this offensive in response to Hamas attacks on October 7, which resulted in the worst attack in Israel’s history, claiming the lives of 1,400 people, mainly civilians. Hamas also took around 240 hostages, including babies and the elderly.
Israel’s response has been a relentless barrage of air strikes and a ground invasion, resulting in more than 10,500 casualties, a significant portion being children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.
As the conflict intensifies and the densely-populated coastal area is effectively sealed off, the situation for civilians deteriorates further.
Tom Potokar, chief surgeon at the International Committee of the Red Cross, describes the conditions in the European hospital in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza as “catastrophic,” with patients presenting wounds infested with maggots in the last 24 hours.
