Following a surge in attacks against Palestinians, Israel has reportedly taken control of nearly two-thirds of the Gaza Strip. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Israel has issued evacuation orders to residents in these occupied areas and declared large sections as restricted zones.
A significant portion of southern Rafah has also been included in these restricted areas. On March 32 (likely a typo or intended as March 31 or April 1), the Israeli military had announced plans for a major assault in this region, which was soon followed by its capture. On Friday morning, Israeli forces launched a new ground offensive to expand what they call their “security zone,” targeting parts of Gaza City and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that an Israeli drone strike hit a charitable food kitchen in Khan Younis on Saturday morning, killing three people. In the past 24 hours alone, 89 people have been killed and 287 injured due to ongoing attacks.
Since Israel resumed its intensified offensive following a temporary ceasefire breach on March 18, the Gaza Ministry of Health reports that at least 1,249 people have been killed. According to UNRWA, over a hundred children have either been killed or injured during this period.
The situation is especially dire in Gaza’s healthcare system. The medical director of Al-Ali Hospital stated that they currently lack the facilities to treat the injured, pushing the healthcare response into a deep crisis.
