On November 11, a series of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza led to the deaths of at least 37 individuals, with the latest fatalities reported late on Monday at a café near Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The airstrike, which killed seven people, marked the deadliest day of an escalating conflict that has ravaged the Gaza Strip for over a year.
The latest violence underscores the intensity of Israel’s ongoing military operations, particularly in central and southern Gaza. Air and ground strikes have become a frequent feature of the war, targeting areas such as the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, where tanks rolled in from the west on Monday. The camp, which is one of Gaza’s eight historic refugee sites, witnessed significant destruction, leaving twenty people dead, including many from a tent encampment. Residents of Nuseirat were caught off guard by the incursion, which forced some to flee their homes in desperation, while others were trapped inside.
Zaik Mohammad, a local resident, described the chaos as he witnessed people desperately trying to escape, some of whom were unable to leave. “Many were trapped in their homes, pleading for help to get out, while others fled with whatever they could carry,” Mohammad, who lives a kilometer from the targeted area, said in a message.
Israeli authorities have yet to comment on Monday’s attacks, which follow a pattern of strikes that have targeted Gaza’s infrastructure and civilian areas. The toll of destruction continues to mount, with hospitals and humanitarian services increasingly overwhelmed by the scale of the violence.
Since the war began over a year ago, Israel has concentrated its military operations on Gaza’s northern and central regions, claiming these areas harbor Hamas militants responsible for launching attacks against Israeli territory. As the conflict drags on, fears of widespread displacement continue to grow, with tens of thousands of Palestinians ordered to evacuate their homes in northern Gaza. There are growing concerns that those displaced may never return to their homes, as the ongoing airstrikes have made it difficult to assess the full extent of the damage or the possibility of a ceasefire.
Recent reports also indicate further casualties in Gaza City and Beit Lahiya, both of which have been heavily targeted by Israeli airstrikes. In Beit Lahiya, Israeli drones reportedly wounded three medical workers at Kamal Adwan Hospital. As hospitals in Gaza face mounting pressure, Israeli forces have besieged several medical facilities, notably in the Jabalia area. Despite the ongoing siege and severe shortages of food, medical supplies, and fuel, hospital staff have refused to leave their posts, determined to care for the wounded amid the growing crisis.
Israeli officials assert that they are targeting Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders in Gaza. In one of the more significant strikes, Israel claimed responsibility for killing a senior commander of the Islamic Jihad group, Mohammad Abu Skhail, in an attack on a Gaza City compound. However, Palestinian medical officials confirmed that the strike also killed six other people, further raising tensions in the already volatile region.
The siege on Gaza’s hospitals has sparked significant concern among international observers, particularly given the lack of access to essential resources like medical supplies. Palestinian medical professionals and international aid workers have repeatedly called for safe zones to be established in Gaza, but these requests have largely gone unheeded by Israeli forces.
Israel’s military has acknowledged its responsibility for the deaths of numerous civilians in the conflict but insists that its actions are necessary to dismantle Hamas and prevent further attacks on Israeli soil. The military continues to maintain that Hamas has used civilians as human shields, a claim that the militant group has vehemently denied.
In the face of mounting casualties and widespread destruction, calls for international intervention and peace talks have grown louder. However, recent efforts at mediation have faltered. Qatar, which had been acting as a mediator, recently suspended its efforts, citing a lack of willingness from both Israel and Hamas to make meaningful concessions toward a ceasefire. With each passing day, the likelihood of an immediate resolution to the conflict seems increasingly remote.
The ongoing conflict has already had devastating consequences, with Gaza now home to over 2.1 million people, the majority of whom live in dire conditions. The war, which began with an attack by Hamas on Israeli communities in October 2023, has left tens of thousands dead and displaced hundreds of thousands more. Israeli officials say the attack on Israeli communities by Hamas on October 7, 2023, led to the deaths of around 1,200 Israelis and the taking of 253 hostages. Since then, Israel has responded with a relentless campaign to neutralize Hamas operatives, which has caused significant casualties in Gaza.
As the war enters its 14th month, the people of Gaza continue to endure immense suffering, with no end in sight to the violence that has become a daily reality for millions. With no clear path to peace or a ceasefire, the situation remains precarious, and the international community’s calls for a solution to the conflict grow louder. The human toll continues to rise, with both sides seemingly entrenched in a devastating cycle of violence.