The Israeli military has intensified its bombardment of Gaza City, targeting emergency workers and civilians alike.
As the military closes in on the city, it continues to attack other parts of the enclave, killing dozens, including aid seekers and medical personnel.
Gaza’s civil defense spokesperson, Mahmoud Basal, reported that Israeli forces fired at emergency vehicles attempting to reach wounded individuals in the Zeitoun neighborhood.
Israeli quadcopters dropped leaflets warning of forced displacement, instructing residents to leave sections of the eastern neighborhood, where hundreds of homes have been destroyed.
The situation on the ground is dire, with reports of relentless bombardment shaking the ground day and night. Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum described it as “a full dismantling of civilian life to ensure that people will never be allowed back into this area.”
The Israeli military’s actions have resulted in significant civilian casualties, with 44 people killed, including 16 aid seekers, in recent attacks.
Attacks on hospitals have become increasingly common, with al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City and Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah coming under fire.
One person was killed at al-Shifa, which has been bombed and burned multiple times over the war. At least two were killed at Al-Aqsa Hospital in an explosion preceded by Israeli drones hovering over the hospital.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is severe, with reports of starvation and dehydration. The United Nations human rights office stated that at least 1,760 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid in Gaza since late May.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees reported that nearly one in five young children in Gaza City are malnourished, and the starvation death toll has reached 240, including 107 children.
The international community has expressed concern over the escalating violence. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to seize Gaza’s largest urban hub and forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians has drawn criticism from various nations and organizations worldwide.