Israel Continues Gaza Bombing Campaign, Even in Regions Advised for Civilian Evacuation

Israeli aircraft intensified their assaults across the Gaza Strip into Saturday, hitting even the small areas in the territory’s south where Palestinians had been advised to evacuate.

This action occurred a day after the United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, despite widespread support from other council members and numerous countries. The vote in the 15-member council stood at 13-1, with only the United Kingdom abstaining.

Before the U.N. vote, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation as “attacks from air, land, and sea are intense, continuous, and widespread,” with Gaza residents being forced to move between increasingly smaller areas in the south, lacking essential survival resources.

Guterres warned the council of Gaza reaching a “breaking point,” with the risk of the humanitarian support system collapsing entirely, potentially having grave implications for the security of the entire region.

With the borders of Gaza effectively sealed by Israel and Egypt, Palestinians are left with no choice but to seek shelter within the territory. The Health Ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza reports the death toll since the start of the war has surpassed 17,400, mostly women and children. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count.

Israel blames Hamas for the civilian casualties, accusing the group of using civilians as human shields. Israel asserts it has made significant efforts through evacuation orders to minimize civilian harm.

On Saturday, Gaza residents reported airstrikes and shelling in both the northern and southern parts of the strip, including in Rafah, a city near the Egyptian border where Israeli authorities had previously directed civilians to evacuate.

The central city of Deir al-Balah’s main hospital received 71 bodies and 160 wounded from bombings in the area over the last 24 hours, as reported by the Health Ministry on Saturday morning. In Khan Younis, a southern city, Nasser Hospital received 62 bodies and 99 wounded over the same period.

Israel is attempting to solidify its military control over northern Gaza, encountering strong resistance from Hamas. Thousands of residents remain in the area despite evacuation orders, six weeks after the start of the war triggered by Hamas’ deadly raid on October 7 in Israel.

The Hamas raid allegedly killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 240 hostages. Following a temporary truce, some hostages and Palestinian prisoners were released, but over 130 hostages are believed to still be in Gaza.

Since the December 1 truce collapse, over 2,200 Palestinians, about two-thirds of them women and children, have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Despite international pressure, the Biden administration opposes an indefinite ceasefire, arguing it would allow Hamas to remain a threat to Israel. U.S. officials have expressed concern over the rising civilian death toll and humanitarian crisis but haven’t publicly urged Israel to end the war, now in its third month.

“We have not set a firm deadline for Israel; it’s not really our role,” said U.S. deputy national security adviser Jon Finer, a day before the U.S. veto at the U.N. Security Council. He noted the U.S.’s influence, albeit limited, on the ground situation in Gaza.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant argued that a ceasefire would be a concession to Hamas, dismissing the plight of hostages in Gaza and encouraging terrorism globally. He urged support for Israel’s mission as a fight for the future and the free world.

A delegation of Arab and Turkish foreign ministers in Washington urged the Biden administration to reconsider its stance against an immediate ceasefire. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, before meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, labeled Israel’s actions in Gaza as war crimes destabilizing the region.

Following a brief truce over a week ago, the U.S. encouraged Israel to better protect civilians and facilitate more aid into besieged Gaza, as Israel expanded its intense campaign in southern Gaza, especially in Khan Younis, displacing tens of thousands.

Taha Abdel-Rahman, a resident of Khan Younis, described a night of intense gunfire and shelling, a common occurrence recently.

Gaza’s Civil Defense Department reported at least one fatality in Rafah late Friday due to an airstrike on a family home, with several wounded. Images showed rescuers and residents searching through rubble for survivors, utilizing cell phone lights in the absence of other lighting.

Airstrikes also targeted the Nuseirat refugee camp, where a family home was hit, causing casualties, as per resident Omar Abu Moghazi.

Bombardments continued in Gaza City and other northern parts of the strip. Mohamed Abded, a resident of Gaza City’s Zaytoun neighborhood, described the situation as a choice between fleeing or facing death.

Israel designated Muwasi, a narrow coastal area in the south, as a safe zone. However, Palestinians who relocated there described dire living conditions with inadequate shelter and poor sanitation. Soad Qarmoot, a displaced woman from Beit Lahiya, spoke of the harsh conditions in Muwasi, emphasizing the lack of basic necessities and comfort.

Imad al-Talateeny, another displaced person from Gaza City, lamented the lack of basic services in the area, stating that life has become inhumane, with polluted water and a lack of essential amenities.