The Israeli military has announced the expansion of its ground operations against Hamas's strongholds to cover the entire Gaza Strip.
The military vowed that its engagements in the south would match the intensity of its offensive in the north, as per Mail Online.
Gaza Crisis, Rising Civilian Casualties
This announcement comes amid a relentless bombing campaign that has left dozens of Palestinians dead and wounded, with civilians in the sealed-off territory facing increasing hardship.
The Israeli forces continued their bombardment of Gaza on Sunday, focusing particularly on Gaza's second-largest city of Khan Younis in the south and the nearby city of Rafah.
Civilian casualties continue to rise, with residents reporting a diminishing area for seeking shelter in the southern region. Many of Gaza's 2.3 million people are now concentrated in the south after Israel directed civilians to leave the north at the onset of the conflict.
The United Nations estimates that a staggering 1.8 million Gazans have been displaced, with nearly 958,000 seeking refuge in 99 UN facilities in the south alone. The dire situation has prompted concerns from Juliette Toma, director of communications at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, who emphasized the urgent need for a cessation of hostilities, stating that civilian suffering has become "too much to bear."
The Health Ministry in Gaza, run by Hamas, reported a death toll surpassing 15,500 since the conflict began on Oct. 7, with more than 41,000 people wounded. While the ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant casualties, it noted that 70% of the dead were women and children.
The spokesman for the Health Ministry highlighted that the majority of victims may still be under the rubble, underscoring the challenges in assessing the full extent of the humanitarian crisis, according to ABC7 News .
Gaza Conflict Escalation Sparks Concerns
The international community has expressed increasing alarm over the situation. The US Pentagon reported an attack on a US warship and multiple commercial ships in the Red Sea, with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claiming responsibility.
Meanwhile, hopes for a temporary truce in Gaza are fading, with a weeklong cease-fire expiring on Friday and Israel signaling its commitment to continue the conflict until "all its goals" are achieved, including removing Hamas from power in Gaza.
The renewed hostilities have raised fears of a wider conflict, while the US has urged Israel to avoid significant new mass displacement and do more to protect civilians. US Vice President Kamala Harris conveyed to Egypt's president that the US would not permit forced relocations of Palestinians or the redrawing of Gaza's borders.
As the conflict intensifies, concerns grow for the well-being of hostages held in Gaza. Israel's military believes approximately 137 hostages are still held by Hamas, and families are urgently calling for a meeting with Israel's Security Cabinet to address the critical situation.
In the midst of the ongoing crisis, the UN's OCHA humanitarian agency warns of a looming public health crisis, with Palestinians in Gaza at risk of death from infectious diseases due to strained sanitation infrastructure. The situation continues to evolve rapidly, with Gaza's residents facing an uncertain and perilous future as the conflict shows no signs of abating, The Guardian reported.
