Israel has intensified its military operations in Gaza, with residents reporting heavy gunfire and shelling just days before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled trip to Washington.
The escalation comes amidst growing international calls for a ceasefire. U.S. President Donald Trump, who is set to meet with Netanyahu next week, has urged Israel to agree to a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to facilitate efforts to end the ongoing conflict and secure the release of hostages held in Gaza.
“Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60-day ceasefire, during which time we will work with all parties to end the war,” Trump announced on social media. “The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring peace, will deliver this final proposal. I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this deal, because it will not get better—it will only get worse.”
Despite these statements, Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have continued. The enclave’s civil defense agency reported that Israeli forces killed at least 26 people on Tuesday. In response to reports of deadly strikes in the north and south of the territory, the Israeli army stated it was “operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities.”
Additionally, the army announced that it had expanded its operations to “additional areas within the Gaza Strip,” eliminating dozens of militants and dismantling hundreds of infrastructure sites both above and below ground.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The escalating conflict has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Red Cross warned that the few functioning medical facilities are overwhelmed, with nearly all public hospitals shut down or severely damaged due to months of hostilities and restrictions on supplies.
“The International Committee of the Red Cross is deeply alarmed by the intensifying hostilities in Gaza City and Jabaliya, which have reportedly caused dozens of deaths and injuries among civilians over the past 36 hours,” the organization said in a statement.
Gaza’s civil defense service reported that 16 people were killed near aid distribution sites in central and southern Gaza on Tuesday, in the latest of several deadly incidents affecting those seeking food. Ten others were killed in other Israeli operations.
The Israeli military told reporters that its forces “fired warning shots to distance suspects who approached the troops,” adding that it was not aware of any injuries but would review the incidents. Regarding an incident in Rafah, the army claimed the shots were fired “hundreds of meters away from the aid distribution site,” which was “not operating.”
Displacement and Aid Access
Since new Israeli evacuation orders were issued for northern regions of Gaza on Sunday, at least 1,500 families have been displaced, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Five school buildings sheltering displaced families were reportedly hit, resulting in deaths and injuries.
OCHA partners indicate that many families who fled from the schools after the attacks have returned to northern Gaza due to the lack of alternatives and limited shelter space elsewhere.
On its ReliefWeb platform, OCHA reported that 169 non-governmental organizations are calling for immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis. They are urging for the Israeli-approved plan to revert to the existing UN-led coordination mechanism and to lift the blockade on aid and commercial supplies.
The NGOs allege that 400 UN-led aid distribution points operating during the temporary ceasefire across Gaza were replaced by just four military-controlled, U.S.-operated distribution sites. This change forces two million people into overcrowded zones where they face daily dangers while trying to access food and are denied other essential supplies.
“Palestinians in Gaza face an impossible choice: starve or risk being harmed while trying desperately to feed their families,” the ReliefWeb appeal stated. “The weeks following the launch of the Israeli distribution scheme have been some of the deadliest and most violent since October 2023.”
OCHA reported that in less than four weeks, more than 500 Palestinians were killed and almost 4,000 injured while attempting to access or distribute food. The statement emphasized that experienced humanitarian actors are ready to deliver life-saving assistance on a large scale, yet more than 100 days since Israeli authorities reimposed a near-total blockade on aid and commercial goods, Gaza’s humanitarian condition is worsening rapidly.
