Video: Gaza Shaken by Heavy Fighting, Thousands Displaced Again

Israeli forces continued their bombardment and ground battles against Hamas in Gaza City on Wednesday, while tens of thousands of Palestinians sought refuge following an evacuation order for large areas in the territory’s south.

Apache helicopters and drones flew over Gaza City’s Shujaiya district as heavy gunfire filled the streets, according to AFP reporters.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed a U.S. media report that his generals were advocating for a truce without defeating Hamas, asserting on Tuesday that “this will not happen.”

Military chief Herzi Halevi stated that Israel is engaged in “a long campaign” to destroy Hamas following the October 7 attack and to secure the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants.

The United Nations warned that the almost nine-month war had caused severe humanitarian suffering, with the latest evacuation order plunging more Palestinians into crisis.

Despite Netanyahu’s claim that the war’s “intense phase” was winding down, Israeli forces continued heavy air strikes and artillery fire on militants in Shujaiya. The military reported striking “over 50 terror infrastructure sites” across Gaza in 24 hours, with ground troops “eliminating terrorists” and discovering tunnels and weapons.

The Israeli army, which had previously issued an evacuation order for Shujaiya, expanded the order to include a larger area near Khan Yunis and Rafah in the south, prompting renewed fears of intense battles. Tens of thousands of Palestinians are on the move again, carrying their belongings as they search for safety.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, reported that 250,000 people were affected by the latest evacuation order, which covers a significant portion of Gaza. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said the order affects 117 square kilometers (45 square miles), making it the largest such directive since October.

UN humanitarian coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, informed the UN Security Council that the war had displaced 80 percent of Gaza’s population. She emphasized the urgent need for more aid and the reopening of crossings, particularly to southern Gaza, to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.

The World Health Organization reported that over 150,000 people have contracted skin diseases due to the squalid living conditions. Wafaa Elwan, a Palestinian mother living in a tent city, described the dire situation, saying her five-year-old son cannot sleep due to severe itching from rashes and welts.

The war, which began after Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel, has resulted in significant casualties. According to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures, the attack killed 1,195 people, mostly civilians, and 251 hostages were taken, with 116 still in Gaza.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 37,925 people, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The Israeli military announced ongoing operations throughout Gaza. The Gaza civil defense agency reported that seven people were killed when a strike hit a family house north of Gaza City. Another strike killed three people in a car at Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Deir al-Balah. Air strikes also targeted homes in Rafah.

The New York Times reported that Israeli security officials believe a truce is the best way to secure the release of the remaining hostages, even if it means not achieving all war objectives. Netanyahu, leading a government with hardline right-wing parties, firmly rejected this, insisting that the war would end only when Israel’s goals, including the destruction of Hamas and the release of all hostages, are achieved.