Over the past 24 hours, the northern Gaza Strip has witnessed a surge in violence as the Israeli military intensifies its operations to prevent Hamas regrouping. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that in the Jabalya area, several terrorists were eliminated in close-quarters encounters.
Jabalya has been a focal point of sustained strikes this month, following the evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military for large parts of northern Gaza. The Health Ministry in Gaza has raised concerns about the targeting of the health system in the region, with reports of besiegement and direct attacks on hospitals such as the Indonesian Hospital, Kamal Adwan Hospital, and Al-Awda Hospital.
Director of the Gaza Health Ministry, Munir Al-Barash, expressed distress over the power outage at the Indonesian Hospital, which led to the unfortunate deaths of two individuals in the intensive care unit. The situation further escalated when the Hamas-run Government Media Office in Gaza reported a significant loss of life, including 21 women, in a single strike in the northern part of the Strip.
Reports from the ground indicate that civilians are fleeing the affected areas, with the IDF issuing evacuation orders for northern Gaza. Videos captured civilians leaving Jabalya and seeking refuge in Gaza City. The IDF's operations come in response to intelligence suggesting Hamas' efforts to rebuild its operational capabilities in the region.
Despite the challenging communication conditions in northern Gaza, eyewitnesses like Ismail Zaida have described the intense air strikes in the Saftawi area of Jabalya, with sounds of ambulances and explosions echoing through the region.
The situation remains fluid and volatile, with casualties mounting and civilians caught in the crossfire as the conflict escalates in the northern Gaza Strip.