At Least 33 Palestinians Killed amid Israeli Attacks across Gaza As Siege Deepens
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Israeli forces have intensified bombardments and ground operations in northern Gaza, killing at least 33 Palestinians, with widespread destruction reported in Jabalia refugee camp, sources on the ground confirm.
Medical officials report that 18 of the 33 Palestinians killed were in the Jabalia refugee camp, where Israel has maintained a 17-day assault. The offensive forms part of an ongoing military siege trapping approximately 400,000 residents, many of whom remain cut off from food and water.
UN-run schools serving as shelters in northern Gaza’s Jabalia have been ordered to evacuate, with Israeli quadcopter drones broadcasting evacuation instructions via loudspeakers. Witnesses say Israeli artillery fired on civilians gathered at a school gate, killing seven, spreading fear, and forcing people back inside the shelter.
The director of Kamal Adwan Hospital said the influx of casualties has overwhelmed the facility, describing the situation as untenable.
Israeli shelling also targeted homes in the as-Saftawi area northwest of Gaza City, killing two people, local residents told Wafa news agency.
Explosions rocked several parts of Gaza, with artillery fire reported across the enclave, especially in Jabalia and Nuseirat refugee camps.
In northern Gaza, Israeli forces demolished residential buildings in western Jabalia and razed all infrastructure in Block 2, Palestinian sources told Al Jazeera.
Residents fleeing the northern siege fear the same fate may unfold in central Gaza, where essential supplies have already run out amid mass blackouts.
Military operations also claimed the life of Ahsan Daksa, commander of Israel's 401st Armoured Brigade. He was killed by an explosive device while inspecting the battlefield in Jabalia. Two other soldiers were wounded in the incident, Israel’s military spokesperson Daniel Hagari confirmed.
Hassan Barari, a Middle East politics professor at Qatar University, described the Israeli military siege and forced expulsions in northern Gaza as “a message” to Palestinians across the Strip. Barari warned that after clearing Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanoon, Gaza City could become the next target for ethnic cleansing.