Intensified Gaza Conflict: Israeli Strikes Escalate as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

Israeli forces launched intensified tank and air strikes on Gaza, killing at least 27 Palestinians, as conflict in the enclave and on the Lebanon-Israel border with Hezbollah escalates. Displaced Palestinians face additional threats from encroaching seas, while international efforts for a ceasefire remain at an impasse.

Israeli forces launched a series of intensified tank and air strikes on multiple areas of the Gaza Strip on Friday, resulting in the deaths of at least 27 Palestinians, according to medical sources. The strikes hit northern and central Gaza, including the Nuseirat refugee camp and Gaza City, while tanks advanced further into northwest Rafah near the Egyptian border.

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas militants shows no sign of abating, as a parallel conflict in the Lebanon-Israel border region involving Hezbollah also escalates. Displaced Palestinians in Gaza express fears that their temporary beachside camps could be engulfed by high waves, compounding their plight.

In addition to the tank shelling, an Israeli strike on a car in Beit Hanoun caused multiple casualties, though it remains unclear how many were combatants or civilians. The conflict, initiated by a Hamas attack on October 7, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and took about 250 hostages, has since resulted in over 41,000 Palestinian deaths and widespread displacement, according to local health sources. International efforts for a ceasefire, led by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, have yet to yield a resolution.

(With inputs from agencies.)