The Israeli military has cut off northern Gaza from the rest of the besieged territory and carried out a series of airstrikes on Monday. These actions come as preparations are underway for anticipated ground battles with Hamas militants in Gaza’s largest city, marking a potentially even bloodier phase of the ongoing month-long war.
According to the Health Ministry of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the Palestinian death toll has now surpassed 10,000 as of Monday. The ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. Meanwhile, in Israel, the death toll stands at around 1,400, with the majority being civilians killed during the October 7 incursion by Hamas that triggered the conflict.
This war has swiftly escalated into the most lethal Israeli-Palestinian violence since the establishment of Israel 75 years ago, with no immediate end in sight as Israel remains committed to ousting Hamas from power and dismantling its military capabilities.
As the conflict shifts to close combat in urban areas, the number of casualties is expected to rise significantly. Reports suggest that Israeli troops will soon enter Gaza City, where Palestinian militants, having prepared for years, are anticipated to engage in street-by-street warfare and launch ambushes from an extensive network of tunnels.
It is believed that several hundred thousand people remain in the path of the ongoing assault in the northern region. Although the military has indicated the availability of a one-way corridor for residents of Gaza City and the surrounding areas to flee south, many are reluctant to use this route, as part of it is currently under the control of Israeli forces.
In recent days, airstrikes have targeted United Nations facilities, where thousands sought shelter, as well as hospitals, which are struggling to cope with the influx of wounded individuals and are facing challenges related to power shortages and dwindling supplies.