GAZA CITY: At least 19 Palestinians were killed in Israeli military strikes on a refugee camp in Gaza overnight, medics said on Saturday, as Israeli forces advanced deeper into the northern Jabalia area, where thousands of civilians are trapped amid heavy Israeli bombardment.
Residents of Jabalia, the largest historic refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, said Israeli forces continued their relentless bombardment from both air and ground. The assault comes as part of Israel’s broader military campaign, now entering its second week, targeting northern Gaza amid international concern over civilian casualties.
The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders on Saturday to residents of two neighborhoods on the northern edge of Gaza City, declaring the area a “dangerous combat zone.” This move follows earlier directives for civilians to relocate southward, where they are told they will be safer.
However, Gaza’s interior ministry urged residents not to move within northern areas of the enclave and warned against heading south, stating that Israeli bombardment has been continuous in the supposedly safer areas.
“The occupation is bombing and killing people every day in areas it claims to be safe,” a ministry statement read.
Over the past week, Jabalia has faced intense bombardment, with Palestinian health officials reporting that around 150 people have been killed in the area during the ongoing Israeli operation. On Friday alone, Israeli strikes targeted four houses in Jabalia, resulting in the deaths of approximately 20 people and leaving dozens more injured.
As Israeli ground forces push into nearby towns such as Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya, the number of displaced Palestinian civilians continues to grow, with little hope of finding refuge as fighting intensifies across Gaza.
Both Palestinian officials and the United Nations have warned of an escalating humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Severe shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies are crippling relief efforts, especially in northern areas where thousands are trapped.
Aid agencies have raised alarms about the possibility of famine in Gaza, where supplies have become scarce amid the continued blockade and bombardment.
The Gaza health ministry reported on Saturday that since October 7, 2023, at least 42,175 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed, and 98,336 people have been wounded in the ongoing Israeli bombardment campaign.
In a statement, Hamas condemned Israel’s “massacre against civilians,” claiming the strikes were a punitive measure against residents who refused to evacuate their homes.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad said their fighters were engaged in fierce resistance against Israeli forces in Jabalia and surrounding areas, using anti-tank rockets and mortars to fend off the advancing troops.
